WILLIAM B. WALKER V. JUDICIAL CONDUCT COMMISSION, ET AL.
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IMPORTANT NOTICE
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED OPINION
THIS OPINION IS DESIGNATED "NOT TO BE PUBLISHED."
PURSUANT TO THE RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
PROMULGATED BY THE SUPREME COURT, CR 76.28(4)(C),
THIS OPINION IS NOT TO BE PUBLISHED AND SHALL NOT BE
CITED OR USED AS BINDING PRECEDENT IN ANY OTHER
CASE IN ANY COURT OF THIS STATE; HOWEVER,
UNPUBLISHED KENTUCKY APPELLATE DECISIONS,
RENDERED AFTER JANUARY 1, 2003, MAY BE CITED FOR
CONSIDERATION BY THE COURT IF THERE IS NO PUBLISHED
OPINION THAT WOULD ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE
BEFORE THE COURT . OPINIONS CITED FOR CONSIDERATION
BY THE COURT SHALL BE SET OUT AS AN UNPUBLISHED
DECISION IN THE FILED DOCUMENT AND A COPY OF THE
ENTIRE DECISION SHALL BE TENDERED ALONG WITH THE
DOCUMENT TO THE COURT AND ALL PARTIES TO THE
ACTION.
RENDERED : APRIL 19, 2007
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED
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2006-SC-000827-OA
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WILLIAM B. WALKER
V.
7 [~7~5
CR
APPELLANT
IN SUPREME COURT
JUDICIAL CONDUCT COMMISSION, ET AL.
APPELLEES
MEMORANDUM OPINION OF THE COURT
DENYING PETITION FOR WRIT OF PROHIBITION
Petitioner, William B . Walker, is currently incarcerated for his 1998 convictions of
unlawful transactions with a minor . More than twenty years before the 1998
convictions, Walker was convicted of manslaughter .
Walker has filed numerous complaints with the Judicial Conduct Commission
(JCC) against multiple judges who have been involved in his frequent legal troubles . In
the instant pro se petition for writ of prohibition, -he seeks an order that would "(1)
supersede or set aside a Special Rule of Evidence, (2) prohibit the Judicial Conduct
Commission from applying the Special Rule of Evidence to govern Walker's Complaints,
and (3) direct the Judicial Conduct Commission to afford Walker the equal treatment
and equal protection of the laws which it provides to its other complainants ." Walker's
apparent perception is that he is not receiving equal treatment, premised on his curious
belief that a "Special Rule of Evidence" governs the complaints he files with the Judicial
Conduct Commission . There is no "Special Rule of Evidence ;" thus, the grounds for
Walker's complaint are nonexistent . Accordingly, we dismiss his petition.
The contents of the petition demonstrate that Walker's complaints are based on
erroneous assumptions as to the proper application of legal principles; namely, the
application of the doctrines of law-of-the-case and res judicata. Specifically, Walker
perceives that a 1976 decision rendered by this Court, which affirmed his manslaughter
conviction, has some sort of adverse, preclusive effect on the numerous complaints he
has filed with the Judicial Conduct Commission .
Our 1976 opinion addressed Walker's assertion that the trial court should have
admitted certain evidence of the victim's violent behaviors to support Walker's claim of
self-defense . We held that the trial court did not abuse its discretion . Walker asserts
that, by this holding in our 1976 opinion, we "promulgated" a "Special Rule of Evidence,"
that by virtue of the law-of-the-case doctrine and res judicata, continuously prohibits him
from presenting any evidence against a judge to the Judicial Conduct Commission.
However, Walker is simply mistaken in his belief that this Court's 1976 opinion is at all
relevant to the Judicial Conduct Commission's actual review or ability to review any
complaint he files . To the contrary, the Judicial Conduct Commission avers that it "has
processed all of Walker's complaints in the same manner and with the same due
diligence as it does all matters which come before it."
Apparently, Walker has a fundamental misunderstanding of the Judicial Conduct
Commission . The Judicial Conduct Commission is a disciplinary body, not an
alternative forum for a complainant, such as Walker, to litigate a claim against a judge .
SCR 4.170(1) provides
Upon its own motion or upon receiving a written complaint alleging
facts indicating that there is probable cause for action concerning a judge,
the Commission shall make a preliminary investigation to determine
whether formal proceedings should be initiated .
The Judicial Conduct Commission's response to Walker's petition indicates that
"The Commission has reviewed all of Walker's complaints and has found them
insufficient to reflect issues of disciplinary violations within the jurisdiction of the
Commission ." Thus, the Commission concluded that Walker's complaints did not
allege facts indicating there was probable cause for action concerning any of the
judges who were the subjects of Walker's complaints . For each complaint, the
Commission sent written notification to Walker of its review and conclusion.
Upon the foregoing, we deny the petition for writ of prohibition . Given our
disposition of this issue, Walker's petition for intermediate relief is moot.
Furthermore, careful examination reveals that Walker's filing in this Court
is totally without merit and is utterly frivolous.' As he has filed similar frivolous
papers in this Court and in other Kentucky courts as well as with the Judicial
Conduct Commission, the Judicial Conduct Commission is hereby granted
discretion to summarily dismiss future complaints by Walker without the
necessity of a formal response . As shown by his declaration to proceed in forma
pauperis, Walker does not qualify.
As such, his motion to proceed in forma
pauperis in this proceeding is denied and any pre-existing in forma pauperis
status conferred on Walker by any court of Kentucky is hereby vacated .
1 CR 73.02(4).
All concur, except Minton, J., not sitting .
COUNSEL FOR APPELLANT :
William B. Walker
# 135945, Kentucky State Reformatory
3001 West Highway 146
LaGrange, KY 40032
COUNSEL FOR APPELLEES :
James D. Lawson
Executive Secretary
Judicial Conduct Commission
P . 0. Box 21868
Lexington, KY 40522-1868
George F . Rabe
167 West Main Street, Suite 1004
Lexington, KY 40507-1708
Gregory D. Stumbo
Attorney General of Kentucky
Room 118, Capitol Building
Frankfort, KY 40601
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