A special judge has been reprimanded by the Oklahoma Supreme Court for what justices called a ‘poor demeanor.’
Emily Mueller is the latest judge to face discipline in Oklahoma for violations of the code of judicial conduct. She has been a special judge in Lincoln and Pottawatomie counties since 2019.
The Supreme Court made the reprimand public on Monday, Aug. 25, “to deter similar behavior in the future from Judge Mueller and reinforce the standards expected of all judges.”
Justices acted after the state’s Council on Judicial Complaints investigated Mueller. The council reported she “displayed a pattern of poor demeanor toward certain attorneys and courthouse staff and bias against certain attorneys.”
In the 7-1 order, Chief Justice Dustin Rowe wrote, “Judge Mueller admitted that her attitude has fallen short in interactions with attorneys and even her co-workers, but ultimately attributed her poor interactions to not being a ‘morning person.’
Special Judge Emily Mueller
“We find Judge Mueller’s repeated display of disrespect toward certain attorneys erodes the public’s confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary,” Rowe wrote. “Judicial temperament is among the most important qualities for any individual serving as a judge.”
Mueller was in court Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.
Last year, another Lincoln County judge resigned days before her ouster trial was to begin.
Traci Soderstrom was facing removal because she repeatedly texted and got on Facebook during a 2023 murder trial. She had been on the bench only months at the time of the trial.
An investigation found she joked in the texts with her female bailiff about the size of prosecutors’ penises, called the key witness a liar and admired the looks of a testifying police officer.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma judge Emily Mueller reprimanded by state Supreme Court
