Several times Orange county business has been brought to what one newspaper called a near standstill. In December 2007 assistant side Judge Pease filed a complaint against her County clerk and her assistant for alleged assault and unlawful restraint. The clerk and assistant asked for action against Pease for filing false charges against them. Neither the complaint of alleged assault and unlawful restraint during a confrontation in Pease’s office or the false filing issue were pursued after an investigation by the attorney general’s office.

Last month a letter recommending careful investigation signed by eight state legislators was sent to the chairman of the state Judicial Conduct Board listing 13  allegations  involving allegedly  misappropriating funds, acting contrary to specific recommendations made by both the County auditor and the State Auditor of Accounts and engaging in malicious and harassing behavior toward County employees.

The Rutland Herald reports today that assistant side Judge Pease has been ordered   to take a course in judicial ethics. It was unclear from the article if this was related to the May 2009 letter to the Judicial Conduct Board.

Conduct Board disciplines judge

MONTPELIER – The Vermont Judicial Conduct Board is imposing “deferred discipline” against an Orange County judge.

….Robert Keiner, chairman of the Judicial Conduct Board, says the action against Assistant Judge Prudence Pease stems from complaints that she favored a party in a 2007 traffic court case and that she commented publicly about a confidential employee matter.

……Pease, who didn’t admit misconduct, must now take a course in judicial ethics.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/a…

About Vermont side judges: An elected office that in addition to hearing, uncontested divorce cases, small claims and traffic cases are administrators for the county also creates a county budget which is passed along to the county’s 17 towns and taxpayers.