On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, the California Commission on Judicial Performance publicly censured Trinity County Superior Court Judge Eric L. Heryford for a pattern of delayed decisions and for falsely attesting to the timely resolution of cases in order to receive his salary. The commission’s action underscores the gravity of the violations and the need to uphold public trust in the judicial system.
The censure stems from Heryford’s failure to issue timely rulings in 20 separate cases between 2020 and 2024. These delays violated Judicial Ethics Canon 3B(8), which mandates that judges handle all judicial matters fairly, promptly, and efficiently. Furthermore, the delays ran afoul of Article VI, §19 of the California Constitution, which stipulates that a judge’s salary can be withheld if a case remains pending and undetermined for more than 90 days after submission. The California Rules of Court also require resolution of habeas corpus petitions within 60 days of filing, a deadline Heryford also missed in multiple instances.
According to the CJP’s findings, Heryford’s delays varied in length. In 12 cases, decisions were issued between 91 and 207 days after submission. In three administrative appeal cases, he failed to act for periods ranging from 169 to 203 days. Additionally, he neglected to rule on five habeas corpus petitions within the mandated 60-day timeframe, with delays ranging from 77 to 114 days.
The Commission also found that Heryford signed salary affidavits in 2022 falsely attesting that he had no cases pending beyond the 90-day limit. As a result, he improperly received his salary for August, September, and October of that year. A similar incident occurred in August 2023, when he signed another compensation affidavit. While no decisions were overdue at the time of signing, the 90-day timeframe was crossed before September, leading to him improperly receiving his September 2023 salary.
The CJP also cited Heryford for making misleading statements during the ethics body’s investigation. He claimed to have implemented measures to prevent future delays, such as attaching a list of submitted matters to the monthly pay affidavit, a practice that was already in place. He also stated that he was unaware of a late decision until receiving a preliminary investigation letter, a claim the commission deemed misleading given the court’s existing case tracking system.
In its order imposing the public censure, the CJP stated that Heryford’s actions constituted a persistent failure to perform judicial duties and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, thereby bringing the judicial office into disrepute. The commission further asserted that his knowingly signing false statements and improperly receiving judicial salary amounted to a conscious disregard of the limits of judicial authority and constituted willful misconduct.
Ten members of the commission voted to accept the stipulation and issue the public censure. The members included Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench, Butte Superior Court Judge Kimberly Merrifield, and Justice Julia C. Kelety of Division One of the Fourth District Court of Appeal. Commission member Richard A. Long did not participate in the vote.
Heryford, who was appointed to the bench in 2018 by then-Governor Jerry Brown, previously served as the Trinity County District Attorney from 2014. He holds a degree from the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
