The Washington Commission on Judicial Conduct admonished Steve Dixon, a judge on the Adams County Superior Court, on Friday, June 24, 2022. The case is styled as ‘In the Matter of The Honorable Steve Dixon’ with case number #10533-F-196.

The judge was charged with violating Canon 1: Rules 1.1 and 1.2 and Canon 2: Rules 2.2, 2.3(A), 2.3(B), 2.8(A), and 2.8(B) of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which requires:

Judges to respect and comply with the law and to act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary, and to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.

Judges must “perform all duties of judicial office fairly and impartially” and “without bias or prejudice.

A judge shall require order and decorum in proceedings before the court.

A judge shall be patient, dignified, and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers, court staff, court officials, and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity, and shall require similar conduct of lawyers, court staff, court officials, and others subject to the judge’s direction and control.

The judicial canons can be found here.

The order reads:

“From an agreed statement of facts, Adams County Superior Court Judge Steve Dixon stipulated that he violated Canon 1, Rules 1.1 and 1.2, and Canon 2, Rules 2.2, 2.3(A) and (B), and 2.8(A) and (B) of the Code of Judicial Conduct. Judge Dixon violated the Code by making a profane comment following a telephonic hearing which could be reasonably interpreted to be directed at a particular attorney creating an appearance of bias or prejudice against that attorney. At the time he made the comment, Respondent believed that he was no longer on the record or connected to the parties, not realizing that the call had not been terminated and he was still on the record. The Commission admonished Judge Dixon and ordered him to promptly review the Code.”

The Judge’s courtroom address is 210 W Broadway Ave in Ritzville and can be reached at 509-659-3271 https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_dir/index.cfm?fa=court_dir.persondetail&indid=286&orgid=125

A copy of the original filing can be found here.