Judge James (respondent) has filed a petition asking this Court to reject that recommendation. McCANN: John (Father John McCann omi) (Father Jack McCann omi) Oblate priest. Copyright 2012 by ClickOnDetroit.com. font-size: 1.2em; 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. The district is located in Brooklyn and is one of the five judicial districts which make up New York City. width: 250px; Inkster Judge Sylvia James is guilty of misusing court funds says report issued today. } Report your Judge, Lawyer or Government Office . (Reuters) - A Michigan judge on Friday dismissed a school district and its employees as defendants in two wrongful death lawsuits stemming from a deadly 2021 mass shooting by a 15-year-old student armed with a gun his parents had bought him for Christmas. Sign up for our free summaries and get the latest delivered directly to you. padding-left: 10px; Is Inkster Judge Sylvia James out of order? Later, Villarreal filed a lawsuit alleging that Laredo officials violated her First Amendment rights. That, Ho concluded, cannot be squared with the First Amendment. Subscribe today and get. Suspended Inkster Judge Sylvia James was in 20th District Court in Dearborn Heights for a pretrial hearing. After Inkster District Judge Sylvia James was removed from the bench in 2012 for misusing public funds, including money meant for crime victims, she ran for her old seat in the following. } Thus, she failed to demonstrate that the arrest was a retaliation against her free speech. The Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC) recommended that the Supreme Court remove Respondent 22nd District Court Judge Sylvia A. James from office for judicial misconduct. They think they are above the law. I'm curious to see if this abuse of power will go unpunished. March 3, 2023 10:14 AM EST. The most relevant radio talk show for the Michigan Medical Marijuana Community. US District Judge Lewis Kaplan said it was as tragic a case as I have seen in almost 28 years as he handed down the sentence in Manhattan federal court. } display: inline-block; The judge has refused to have them audited for years. color: white; On July 31, 2012, the Michigan Supreme Court removed James from office for the remainder of her term which ended December 31.[2]. vertical-align: top; An amendment introduced and passed by Babin to this year's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill, now . Plaintiff Sylvia James was a judge of the 22nd District Court for 23 years before she was placed on administrative leave on April 13, 2011, by a unanimous vote of the Michigan Supreme Court in response to grievances filed by both the State Court Administrators Office ("SCAO") and by the City of Inkster attorney, David Jones, alleging that }. Find Out With This Weeks News Quiz. font-weight: bold; On October 29, 2019, the Court issued a decision continuing the suspension with pay. .widget-row { It was called the most terrible crime ever committed in Indiana, and half a century later, that title still holds. } Prosecutors cited a provision of Texas lawone they had never before enforcedthat criminalizes the act of soliciting or receiving nonpublic information from a public servant with intent to obtain a benefit. Prosecutors alleged that Villarreal violated this law because she sought the benefit of more Facebook followers. Last fall, Brennan testified she had the cell phone restored to factory settings, contrary to her previous testimony in her 2016 divorce case. .widget-row.value-only.black { Counties | Trials may be conducted in person if approved by the Chief Judge. In both cases, she called a police officer to confirm their identitiesa standard reporting practice. Kind of like getting one police officer to arrest another one just doesn't happen not that it shouldn't happen. "[7] James had to provide a detailed explanation for certain expenses. Her report subsequently found that James used part of the court budget for charitable donations around the city, which would amount to a misappropriation of funds. Is she elected or appointed to her judgeship? judge sylvia james chargedgnar tapes allegations. In brief remarks, Ash acknowledged that she had lived the American dream but threw it all away by committing her crimes.
float:right; A five year old child, Noah Thomas, went missing in Dublin Virginia the spring of 2015. Sylvia told the judge the town has no proof that he has broken any law. INKSTER, Mich. (WXYZ) - Shes a local judge who rules her courtroom with an iron fist. width: 43%; judge sylvia james chargeddoorstead property management. display: inline-block; Sylvia A. James was a judge for the 22nd District Court in Michigan. .widget-row.Green { .widget-row.value-only.white { Former Judge Sylvia James, who was booted from the bench in Inkster by the Michigan Supreme Court, is the dean of students. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. Judge Sylvia LaMar Last Updated: 01/20/2023 In-Person Hearings Pursuant to the New Mexico Supreme Court Order No. So, once on the council, Gonzalez launched a nonbinding citizen petition urging the council to replace Rapelye. Any updates? Follow her on Twitter @KayDaugherty92. Action News asked the judge if we could see review the accounts, but has yet to respond. She also says she was treated differently than white. display: block; Steve Gorman. She was defeated by Sabrina Johnson in the general election on November 6, receiving 33.67 percent of the vote.[3][4][5]. He is also the founder of Greentrees of Detroit, a medical marihuana community center that offers patient certification, legal consultation, cannabis education, business development, and caregivers classes. padding-left: 10px; All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. A jury found Judge Sylvia Ash guilty of impeding a federal investigation into the $10 million embezzlement spree by Municipal Credit Union's CEO. The evidence established that respondent misappropriated public funds, some of which were intended for victims of crime in the city of Inkster. Following its hearing on the allegations against Judge James, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission released its official complaint against James. Texas State Directory Press 1800 Nueces St. Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 473-2447 Contact Us Salcido faces one count each of aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer . } That is all gone now its been destroyed. Assistant US Attorney Eli Mark said Ash used her position as a judge in an attempt to get away with her crimes. } All Rights Reserved. It may the season to start removing some of these greedy, megalomaniacs, who are on their own Power trip. Bad lawyers being put on the bench who abuse their power and become HORRENDOUS, Dishonorable Judges. William Coleman, former Detroit public schools head, is in charge. During oral arguments in January, he questioned the defendants lawyers incredulously. COLE, Chief Judge. Cities | She has continued to receive pay and benefits as thecomplaint process plays out. Page referenced a 2012 decision surrounding then Wayne County Judge Sylvia James, in his petition writing,"when a judge lies under oath, he or she has failed to internalize one of the central standards of justice and becomes unfit to sit in judgment of others.". Alec Tabak. There is also a story on the Channel 7 website about her 2 Deputies have been charges with felonies for taking things from the Court Computer. .widget-key { We do not give legal advice. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. A corrupt former Brooklyn judge was sentenced to 15 months in prison Wednesday after being convicted of obstruction of justice charges - a case that "struck at the heart of the . Federal courts | Therequest comes as Brennan appeared in a Flint courtroom Wednesday afternoon for a hearing on three felony charges, a criminal case that is separate from the Judicial Tenure Commission complaint. You already receive all suggested Justia Opinion Summary Newsletters. In another recent case, Villarreal v. Laredo, the 5th Circuit considered the plight of Priscilla Villarreal, a resident of Laredo, Texas. Bond was set Friday for a man who allegedly led police on a high-speed chase on Thursday. border:1px solid #FFB81F; Related:Judicial Tenure Commission report: Facts show 'gross misconduct' by Theresa Brennan. } It turns out, though, that we doat least in the 5th Circuit. This approval of censorship by force should come as no shock from the far-right 5th Circuit. 6, 30, and that is the process the JTC has begun in filing a complaint against Judge James. When Laredo officials discovered these calls, they secured a warrant for her arrest. All rights reserved. The AG's office alleges that Brennan gave false testimony regarding a cell phone that was considered a marital asset during hearings in her divorce case and that she tampered with evidence in an official proceeding. Sylvia Ash, a New York State judge, has been charged with conspiring to obstruct, and obstructing, a federal investigation into the embezzlement and fraud perpetrated by the chief executive officer and president of the Municipal Credit Union (MCU), Kam Wong. But the latest dispute is over the courts bank accounts. The majority granted immunity to Trevino, Siemens, and Wright. [8], James' attorney implied that the allegations were politically motivated, since they were only made after the judge opposed the policies of the mayor. He is also an experienced defense attorney successfully representing many wrongfully accused medical marihuana patients and caregivers. The answer might seem obvious in light of the First Amendment. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. In August 2012, she was removed from office for the remainder of her term by the Michigan Supreme Court. } If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. margin: auto; Court documents show Brennan made three extended phone calls to Furlong during the Kowalski trial. She heard from residents that the current city manager, Ryan Rapelye, was doing a poor job. (WALTERBORO, S.C.) A judge sentenced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh to life without parole Friday, a day after he . Display as a link instead, Elections in 2023 | In 2019, 72-year-old Sylvia Gonzalez ran a successful campaign for city council in Castle Hills, Texas, a town of 5,000. And yet, in two of the most disturbing First Amendment cases of the decade so farGonzalez v. Trevino and Villarreal v. LaredoHo has emerged as an impassioned opponent of crass, carceral censorship. If you would like to help it grow, please consider donating to Ballotpedia. There is a way to deal with both of those situations. Sylvia Matthews, 71, of Southwest, DC., was found dead at her home on Dec. 3, allegedly killed by a man who went to prison in 1999 for stalking and assaulting her. Posted in Judicial Tenure Commission Judge Sylvia James Leave a reply Attorney General . So Gonzalez turned herself in at the local jail. VICTORY FOR MARIJUANA PATIENTS ON PROBATION ---------------------------------------- Komorn Law secures a victory for MMMA, Michigan Medical Marijuana Association A Judge with a loaded gun in the airport. She should be charged and jailed and convicted in the system she has corrupted! Hername will appear on the August ballot with seven opponents. Correction: An earlier version of this story should have said Sylvia James is a former Wayne County judge. She draped herself in the prestige of her position to get away with her conduct, Mark said at the sentencing hearing. Since his appointment in 2018, he has gained notoriety as a hard-right firebrand eager to fight the culture wars from the bench. You cannot paste images directly. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Thanks for contacting us. A local judge spends $2K on clothing, how else is she spending your money? In a Dec. 20 report, aretired judge who reviewedevidence in a lengthy Judicial Tenure Commission hearing last fall against Brennan said Brennan committed"gross misconduct"byconcealing her relationship with Furlong, a lead investigator in the Kowalski case. Gonzalez marked the second time that Ho has castigated his colleagues for flouting these principles. Federal District Judge Sylvia Rambo is celebrating 40 years serving in federal court. The Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC) recommended that the Supreme Court remove Respondent 22nd District Court Judge Sylvia A. James from office for judicial misconduct. Trevino, it turns out, saw Gonzalez as an enemy. ICELAND HOSTED SECURE & CENSORSHIP FREE. Michael KomornFebruary 8, 2011 in Patient and Caregiver Information. Why? None other than Marisela Jacaman, the district attorney staffer whom Villarreal had criticized for allegedly helping to get a relative off the hook. Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. Judicial Tenure Commission report: Facts show 'gross misconduct' by Theresa Brennan, Former court clerk: Theresa Brennan said Kowalski was guilty before murder trial began, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The full 5th Circuit voted to rehear the casea sign that a majority of judges may disagree with Ho. PERIOD. Your link has been automatically embedded. / CBS Detroit. how many firefighters died in australia 2020. assad@cinema-specilist.com dean mckillen house Kaplan noted that Ash, who rose from a modest immigrant upbringing, had thrown away her career, her status in the community and her reputation. [7], On May 14, 2012, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission held a public hearing on accusations facing James. Because, we all know that when these judges and politicians start turning rocks over, it always shows up that they were ALL doing something either illegal or unethical. Retired Judge Ann Mattson was master of the hearing, and was responsible for investigating the allegations. The law is a gray area at best. Ultimately a prosecutor chose not to charge her; [or dismissed a pending charge? 1963, art. It was not aberrational. margin-bottom: 0; This is an exceedingly troubling case, he opined. The Commission wanted her off the bench, and the Michigan Supreme Court unanimously agreed. Ordained 1955. But the latest dispute is over the court's bank accounts. font-size: .9em; Powered by Invision Community, A Local Judge Spends $2K On Clothing, How Else Is She Spending Your Money, A Good Place Today A Better Place Tomorrow, MMMA, Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, How to talk to your doctor about medical marijuana, Minors may use medical marijuana with adult supervision, Patient/Caregiver/Physician Confidentiality Protections, Guaranteed protections under Michigan Statute, Medical Marihuana Act and Administrative Rules. Report your Judge, Lawyer or Government Office . harmful ingredients of safeguard soap; taylormade firesole irons lofts; judge sylvia james charged. Brennan has a week to respond to the commission's request. That phone is currently in the custody of the state police. INKSTER (WWJ/AP) - The Michigan Supreme Court has removed a Detroit-area judge from office for mishandling public money. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A judge threw out the charges, finding the law unconstitutionally vague. Get free summaries of new Michigan Supreme Court opinions delivered to your inbox! She will return to court on March 21for a preliminary exam. Whats unusual is who has decided to take the strongest stance against it: James Ho, an ultra-conservative Donald Trump nominee. Ho is an unlikely candidate for this role. background-color: green; I don't know if it's Illegal but I really feel this is UNETHICAL and a great example of someone abusing their authority. width: 57%; Judge LaMar conducts all other hearings by Google Meets. Following the release of the report, Kowalski's attorney Peter Van Hoek and Livingston County Prosecutor William Valliencourt requested Kowalski's murder convictions be overturned. Just another site. On December 13, 2021, Judge Ash was convicted in federal court of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, and making a false statement to a federal agent. DETROIT An Inksterjudge was in court on Tuesday, but not in her own courtroom. } } School districts | She helped the former CEO of the MCU, Kam Wong, embezzle millions of dollars from the financial institution, in part, by signing a misleading memo that purported to show he was authorized to receive the cash. [8], The commission's executive director and general counsel, Paul Fischer, asked that James be removed from office, banned from ever again serving as a judge, and pay $81,000 in fines.[8]. Owned and operated by the Hernandez family UglyJudge.com UGLYJUDGE Copyright 2006-2023 All Rights Reserved Notice: "We, are not attorneys. If you have a medical marihuana question or comment, please email them to me, or leave them on the forum for the MMMA, and I will try to answer them live on the air. .top_disclaimer { In America, we dont allow the police to arrest and jail our citizens for having the temerity to criticize or question the government, Ho declared. Photos by Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call and Evgen_Prozhyrko/iStock/Getty Images Plus. Anyone mentioned by name in any article is welcome to file a response. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. charged the judge with obstruction of justice triggering a spirited debate over whether and how states can refrain from executing the . Its Extremely Revealing. The administrative office of the Michigan Supreme Court place James on administrative leave while it expanded its earlier audit of the court. We do not practice law. An NY state judge has been arrested on obstruction of justice and conspiracy charges in connection with a multi-million dollar fraud scheme. Judge James filed a petition asking the Court to reject that recommendation. Jail staff would not allow her to stand up or use the bathroom in privacy. James is facing embezzlement charges after being accused of misusing judicial funds to buy personal items. margin-bottom: 1px; And get this: Though the city denied the judges request for a clothing and gun allowanceJudge James paid herself $1950 with the courts money. background-color: white; afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. Yet Ho was the only dissenter to write an opinion. LETTER by USA as to Sylvia Ash addressed to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan from Assistant . The Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC) has recommended that this Court remove 22d District Court Judge Sylvia A. James from office for judicial misconduct. How to run for office | Wright claimed that, when Gonzalez placed the petitions in her binder, she violated an obscure Texas law that bars individuals from conceal[ing] any government record. Normally, a person charged with such a minor crime is asked to appear before a judge at a specific date. } Ballotpedia does not currently cover this office or maintain this page. The Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association rated candidates running for judicial office in 2012. The Michigan Supreme Court has removed 17 judges in the 51 years since the Judicial Tenure Commission, or JTC, was created and charged with investigating complaints against the judiciary. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. In his majority opinion, Ho framed the case as a simple one: If the First Amendment means anything, he wrote, it surely means that a citizen journalist has the right to ask a public official a question, without fear of being imprisoned. It should be patently obvious to any reasonable police officer, he continued, that the conduct alleged in the complaint constitutes a blatant violation of Villarreals constitutional rights. He therefore denied the officials immunity. Time and time again Americans have shown they want more to be a part of the corruption than to end the corruption. 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. .infobox p { Sylvia A. James was a judge for the 22nd District Court in Michigan. Law enforcement expressed their contempt for her journalism. background-color: red; July 31, 2012 / 5:52 PM And though Judge Sylvia JamesInksters only judgedemands everyone to follow her rules, city officials say she refuses to follow their'sgoing so far as to keep secret what she does with millions of tax-payer money. (Detroit News) WASHINGTON U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36) and the Honorable Judge Jimmy Sylvia, Chambers County Judge, released the following joint statement announcing millions of dollars of Hurricane Ike cleanup debt erroneously charged to Chambers County will be de-obligated. Judge Sylvia James removed from bench WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7 680K subscribers 266K views 10 years ago The Michigan Supreme Court just issued a ruling that says Chief Judge Sylvia James of. Brooklyn Judge Sylvia Ash was arrested at La Guardia . There, she was forced to don an orange shirt and sit handcuffed to a metal bench for a day. He sounded furious. display: inline-block; At the time, both Gonzalez and Trevino said that her misplacement of the petition was a mistake. On January 1, 2021, Judge Sylvia R. Cooks began her tenure as the first woman Chief Judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeal, State of Louisiana. It was calculated, Kaplan said of the scheme. The commission has sent its recommendation to the Michigan Supreme Court. Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2022. Sylvia James's passing has been publicly announced by J.B. Johnson Funeral Home - Roxbury in Roxbury, MA. When the mayor, Edward Trevino, asked her for the petition, she located the papers and handed them to him. All rights reserved. ), First published on July 31, 2012 / 5:52 PM. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, attempting to throw off federal investigators, Anti-Semite who violently attacked three Jews in NYC, bragged he didnt even see a jail cell learns his fate, US Marshals hit with major ransomware attack, compromising employee info, Ghislaine Maxwell appeals sex-trafficking conviction over fatal errors, Serial con artist, who stole over $1M from Jason Kidds ex-wife, sentenced for wire fraud. [1] In August 2012, she was removed from office for the remainder of her term by the Michigan Supreme Court. As a rule, you would not want Ho to be in charge of protecting your constitutional rights, unless you have the kind of grievance that would resonate with Tucker Carlson. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. In 2019, 72-year-old Sylvia Gonzalez ran a successful campaign for city council in Castle Hills, Texas, a town of 5,000. How to vote | Also, the attorney said that audits conducted by the Michigan Supreme Court never found any wrongdoing with how Judge James was using the court's funds. .clearfix { June 11, 2022 Posted by: grady county, ga zoning map . James has been on the bench since 1988 and is running for re-election. It should not be difficult to understand why government conspiracies to jail critics are a danger to the First Amendment. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { vertical-align: top; 22 People Charged With Operating Drug Pipeline From Detroit To North Dakota. The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission filed a request late Tuesday evening asking the Michigan Supreme Court to suspend Livingston County District Court Judge Theresa Brennan without pay. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. } A citizen journalist, Villarreal puts her reporting on Facebook, often live-streaming from car crashes, crime scenes, and other events of public interest. width: 150px; James Lambert, 73, was walking . Only judge they have and she has flipped her very expensive wig. font-weight: bold; You can post now and register later. The more straightforward explanation is that, on this issue, Ho is not a lunatic, and so he can see his colleagues lunacy with unusual clarity. Here is the link to this story: LINK TO STORY. July 3, 2022 . . Instead, the court has blessed the detention of one Texas resident for daring to criticize state officials, and may be on the brink of doing so again. He fills his opinions with trollish partisan rhetoric, railing against abortion, gun control, vaccine mandates, cancel culture, and the woke Constitution. Recently, he announced that he would boycott clerks from Yale Law School, asserting (dubiously) that the school silenced conservative voices.} Two teenagers charged in the traffic cone beating death of an elderly man last summer are now back in custody after a Philadelphia judge raised their bail Monday. Sylvia Ash, 64, resigned from the bench last week following her conviction for lying to the feds and destroying messages after learning federal prosecutors were probing an embezzlement scam at the . This website does not provide legal advice. She is best known for her time as the Mistress of Ceremonies of the House of Blues Sunday Gospel Brunch, and her appearances in her signature long, white embroidered dress with a wide, feathered hat.. St. James has performed solo and as a leader of the St. James Gospel Choir on the television show . So Villarreal turned herself in. judge sylvia james charged. background-color: #003388; 100% remote. } (Wright was not a detective or even a law enforcement officer of any kind.). color: white; PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) A Michigan judge has ruled that staff and administrators at Oxford High School cannot be sued for a mass shooting that left four students dead and seven others wounded. Ballot measures, Who represents me? But there HAS to be some reason why the 'city' officials do not deal more harshly with this judge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QeD1uUgmKw. By Jeffrey Collins and James Pollard / AP. The 5th Circuit, he wrote, had left the American people vulnerable to public officials who choose to weaponize criminal statutes against citizens whose political views they disfavor. He decried Gonzalezs tormenters-in-office for violating the most fundamental value in American democracy by using the coercive powers of government to punish and silence their critics. And he insisted that Gonzalez had every right to sue them for their heinous and unconstitutional scheme to arrest her for stating unpopular viewpoints.. On October 26, 1965, police found Sylvia Likens's emaciated corpsecovered with more than 150 wounds ranging from burns to cutssprawled on a filthy mattress in the Indianapolis home of 37-year-old Gertrude Baniszewski, mother of seven and the architect of the girl's . U.S. President | 4 The separate question as to whether Judge James committed any ethical breaches is, in the first instance, a responsibility of the JTC to assess under Const. Ash resigned from the bench earlier this month, according to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Pour en savoir plus sur la faon dont nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles, veuillez consulter notre politique relative la vie prive et notre politique en matire de cookies. 2023 www.livingstondaily.com. LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- The Michigan Supreme Court will hear arguments over whether to remove a Detroit-area judge from her job.. Inkster District Judge Sylvia James is accused of turning a . You cant arrest people for asking questions of their government for information, he said. READ THE FACTS BEFORE YOU BELIEVE THE OLD TACTIC OF DISHONEST LAWYERS, JUDGES AND GOVERNMENT Public policy. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The lawyer responded that, when an individual seeks the information outside of a formal public records request, they are, indeed, breaking Texas law. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan set a Jan. 4, 2021, control date for Judge Sylvia Ash, formerly the presiding justice in Brooklyn's commercial division and now a criminal defendant to . Therefore, the Court adopted the recommendations of the JTC, except with respect to costs respondent will be ordered to pay, as would be detailed later. The Court concluded that cumulative effect of respondent's misconduct, coupled with its duration, nature, and pervasiveness meant that respondent was unfit for judicial office. When the district attorney caught wind of these events, he dropped all charges. .widget-row.value-only { In December the Michigan Attorney General's Office charged Brennanwithperjury, tampering with evidenceand common law offenses. margin-top: 1px; THEY ARE NOT. Inkster Chief Judge Sylvia James has until Monday to explain to the Michigan Supreme Court why the 22nd District Court has a community service fund, and must submit written justification of several expenditures from the account, including thousands of dollars spent on travel.