Legal News

O.C. judge testifies in defense of 'false and misleading' expense report

By Jason Siegel

Orange County Superior Court Judge Kelly MacEachern testified in her own defense last week against charges that she lied on an expense report, the Orange County Register reported.

In August, the state Commission on Judicial Performance accused MacEachern of lying in order to get a $200 hotel reimbursement for a 2006 judicial conference in San Diego.

MachEachern e-mailed a county staffer after the conference that she sat in on two classes on different days and should be reimbursed for hotel expenses. Superior Court Judge Nancy Stock had her executive assistant investigate the claim and found it to be false. Stock confronted MachEachern, who admitted that she hadn't attended the classes and withdrew her reimbursement claim.

MacEachern told three judges at a public hearing last week that she didn't intend to mislead or steal any money.

The public hearing at the 4th District Court of Appeal ended last Tuesday. The O.C. Register reported that another they'll be another public hearing before the commission before a decision is given.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on January 22, 2008 (boomark / email).