Pr. George's Judge Charged With Misconduct

Palumbo, 67, has been restricted to administrative duties since Oct. 26. The filing of the charges does not change his status, a spokeswoman for the state judiciary said yesterday.

The state's chief District Court judge assigned Palumbo to administrative duties the same day The Washington Post reported that a Maryland State Police trooper deviated from official procedure when he voided a speeding ticket he issued to Palumbo.

The article reported that, in a memo to his barracks commander, Trooper Michael Land wrote that he was voiding the ticket he had given to "Judge Palumbo from Prince George's Court." Land had cited Palumbo for driving 59 mph in a 35-mph zone on Route 193 in Mitchellville on Feb. 17, 2005.

New judges go through a training program in which they are advised that they should not identify themselves as a judge if they are pulled over for a traffic stop.

The complaint provides new details on the Feb. 17 incident and an Aug. 20 incident in which another Maryland state trooper wrote a report saying that Palumbo had caused a traffic accident but was not issued a citation.

During the traffic stop by Land, Palumbo asked Land whether he recognized him or had been in his courtroom, the complaint alleges. When the trooper said he didn't recognize him, Palumbo "identified himself as Judge Palumbo from Upper Marlboro."

Later that day, Land went to Palumbo's chambers, and Palumbo returned his traffic citation to have it voided, the complaint said.

The automobile accident occurred in Charles County, near Palumbo's home.

Palumbo was in a collision with Kimberly Corlette, who requested that police be called to the scene, according to the complaint. "According to Ms. Corlette, Judge Palumbo at that time advised her that he was a judge and told her that she would be in a lot of trouble because of his status as a judge," the complaint said.

Trooper Leonard Hewitt wrote in the accident report that Palumbo had failed to yield the right of way, causing the collision.

According to the complaint, "The Judge then attempted to influence Trooper Hewitt by telling him that he knew the trooper's boss."

The complaint charges that Palumbo's conduct in each encounter violated canons calling for a judge to observe high standards of conduct and to avoid the appearance of impropriety,

Palumbo's conduct in the Cade-Hargrave case also violated those canons, the complaint alleges, as well as standards calling for judges to be courteous to and patient with jurors, lawyers, witnesses and litigants.

During Cade's brief hearing in September, Palumbo refused to listen to Cade, the complaint alleges.

When Cade said she wanted a divorce, Palumbo replied, "I would like to be 6-foot-5." Palumbo's driver's license lists him as 5 feet 4 inches tall.

Cade is scheduled to appear today on the Oprah Winfrey Show.