L.A. County judge publicly admonished for years of misconduct

The California Commission on Judicial Performance has publicly admonished Judge Enrique Monguia of the Los Angeles County Superior Court following a lengthy investigation into his conduct on the bench, including allegations he referred to people in his courtroom being shot.

The commission found that over 41/2 years, from 2019 to 2024, Monguia engaged in multiple instances of judicial misconduct, including making threatening and inappropriate remarks in court, mishandling cases, and showing bias based on gender and ethnicity.

Among the findings, Monguia repeatedly made comments in open court about "shooting" people or having them "shot" by his bailiff. The commission stated that such language was inappropriate and damaging to public trust in the judiciary.

Additionally, the judge was cited for a pattern of discourteous and biased remarks directed at a wide range of people, including crime victims, jurors, defendants and attorneys. On at least one occasion, he wrongly blamed a domestic violence victim, while in other cases, his behavior undermined attorney-client relationships and gave the impression of prejudgment, the commission said.

In one case, Monguia remanded a female defendant without counsel, failed to allow her an opportunity to speak, and neglected to make any arrangements for the care of her young child who was present in the courtroom--leading to a chaotic and traumatic separation, the commission said.

In another case, he is accused of engaging in ex parte communication, then proceeding to declare a defendant incompetent and suspend the proceedings without appointing legal counsel. His delay in doing so allegedly extended the defendant's time in custody unnecessarily.

The Commission concluded that Monguia's conduct "reflected a lack of judicial temperament and respect for the rights of those appearing before him," warranting public admonishment--a formal disciplinary action short of removal but one that becomes part of the judge's permanent record.

Monguia could not be reached immediately for comment.

This story will be updated later today.