Federal judge impeached
June 25, 2009
Texas: In June of 2009 the House voted to impeach federal judge Samuel Kent. Rather than facing trial in the Senate, Kent resigned from his seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Representative Adam B. Schiff said about the decision to impeach: "Judge Kent´s conduct undermined the institution of the Judiciary and the public's confidence that the power of the bench would not be used arbitrarily or for malicious purpose. Regrettably, impeachment was necessary to secure his removal from office, but I believe his resignation, when accepted by the President, will obviate the need to put his victims through any further ordeal."[1]
Kent pleaded guilty to lying about sexual assaults on court employees and began serving a 33 month prison sentence early in 2009. Kent is the first federal judge to be impeached since Walter Nixon in 1989, and the first federal judge to be charged with sex crimes.[2]
Footnotes
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Federal courts:
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas
State courts:
Texas Supreme Court • Texas Court of Appeals • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals • Texas District Courts • Texas County Courts • Texas County Courts at Law • Texas Statutory Probate Courts • Texas Justice of the Peace Courts
State resources:
Courts in Texas • Texas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Texas
