On Thursday, August 22, 2024, the Texas Special Court of Review upheld a public reprimand against Judge Grace M. Uzomba, following allegations of misconduct during the handling of a community supervision case involving Dario E. Davis. According to the document, which was released earlier this month, the court found that Judge Uzomba violated several provisions of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct and the Texas Constitution.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Judge Grace Uzomba,” with case number 20-0623.
The case originated in February 2018 when Davis pled no contest to charges of driving while intoxicated. Judge Uzomba, at that time presiding over Bexar County’s County Court at Law No. 2, sentenced him to two years of community supervision, which included fines and court costs. Throughout Davis’s supervision, multiple issues arose, culminating in a complaint lodged against Judge Uzomba by Davis in January 2020.
The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct charged Judge Uzomba with three primary violations. First, she was accused of failing to comply with legal standards and demonstrating incompetence in managing the conditions of Davis’s supervision. Specifically, she allegedly placed Davis in custody for a violation that had not been ordered. Second, she was charged with failing to maintain a courteous and dignified demeanor toward Davis during court proceedings, including ordering him to be handcuffed for hours. Lastly, the commission charged her with failing to uphold professional competence in judicial duties, which led to actions that discredited the judiciary.
In response to the commission’s findings, Judge Uzomba appealed the public reprimand, asserting that the charges were unfounded and that there had not been a fair investigation. She maintained that the evidence presented did not demonstrate any wrongdoing on her part and argued that her actions were justified.
During the proceedings, various testimonies were presented. Andrew Froelich, who represented Davis pro bono, testified that Judge Uzomba’s treatment of Davis was condescending and punitive. Froelich recounted an incident where Davis was detained for failing to attend a retreat in San Antonio, despite having received permission to attend a different retreat in Corpus Christi. Froelich emphasized that Davis was handcuffed for an extended period without a warrant or proper legal justification.
Gerald Wright, a Bexar County Court Liaison Officer, corroborated Froelich’s account, stating that Judge Uzomba had approved Davis attending the Corpus Christi retreat. However, upon learning of Davis’s attendance there, she ordered him back to court, where he was subsequently detained.
Cory Richardson, another community supervision officer, testified that he was present during the December 9, 2019, hearing and observed that Judge Uzomba did not provide any basis for requiring Davis’s detention. He remarked that it was unusual for a judge to mandate a community supervision officer to prepare a motion to revoke supervision without a clear violation.
Daryl Harris, a chief assistant district attorney, also expressed concerns about the due process rights of Davis being violated during the hearing, noting that a proper legal basis had not been established for the detention.
In her defense, Judge Uzomba argued that her actions were in accordance with the law and that she did not act with willfulness or persistence in violation of judicial canons. However, the court found that her conduct during the proceedings and her lack of adherence to legal standards warranted the reprimand.
The Special Court of Review concluded that Judge Uzomba had indeed violated provisions of the Texas Constitution and the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct, affirming the commission’s findings and issuing a public reprimand as a result.
The Judge’s Courtroom is located at Cadena-Reeves Justice Center 300 Dolorosa in San Antonio and can be reached at 210-335-2573.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
