San Diego, California – Retired San Diego Superior Court Judge Howard Shore has received another public disciplinary action, marking the second time in 15 months the former jurist has been sanctioned by the state Commission on Judicial Performance (CJP).
In its latest decision Thursday, the commission issued a public admonishment, citing Shore’s “undignified, discourteous, and offensive” remarks during several hearings involving California’s Racial Justice Act. Among the statements was the judge’s use of a racial slur in open court while questioning an expert on racial profiling — language the commission said could be perceived as biased and inappropriate.
The admonishment also cited Shore for his conduct during a Dec. 4, 2023 meeting with leaders of the Public Defender’s Office. During the meeting, which Shore had requested, he informed them of an impending censure from the CJP for excessive absences — 155 missed workdays over two years. The commission said he minimized his prior misconduct in that meeting and afterward, demonstrating a “lack of candor.”…