The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday affirmed the denial of a death row inmate’s federal petition for habeas corpus based on allegations that the ex-Orange  Superior Court judge presiding over his trial violated due process principles by making what the petitioner characterized as racist and sexist jokes, describing the crime as “horrendous” and involving “dastardly conduct,” and quipping that “everyone should believe in the death penalty.”

An ethics committee yesterday issued an expedited advisory opinion concerning contributions to judicial reelection and retention campaigns by California judges and justices, saying that such donors must consider their duties to avoid the appearance of impropriety, as well as any circumstances that may lead to disqualification, in addition to any limitations set by local authorities.

(Subscription required) As Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration nears its end, organizers of California's statewide judicial mentor program are emphasizing that the effort to guide and diversify future judges will continue regardless of political leadership changes. Justice Helen Zukin, one of the program's founders, stressed that the program has always operated independently through volunteer judges and justices rather than the governor's office.

A divided Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held yesterday that Igloo Products Corporation was rightly granted summary judgment in a lawsuit filed by a California start-up, run by an ex-convict-turned-entrepreneur who sought to tap into the environmentally-friendly market, accusing the outdoor giant of false advertising in violation of federal and state law relating to statements promoting a biodegradable disposable ice chest as the “first” of its kind.