San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Michael Mulvihill censured for drunk driving, fleeing accident
The Commission on Judicial Performance has issued a censure of San Joaquin Superior Court Judge Michael J. Mulvihill.
The commission issued the public censure following Mulvihill’s for his conduct after being apprehended for drunk driving and causing an accident. Following the accident, Mulvihill attempted to leave the scene of the accident, making false statements to bystanders, misleading law enforcement officers about the cause of the accident, and underreporting to law enforcement the amount of alcohol he had consumed.
Mulvihill was charged with a DUI and pleaded no contest after being arrested on Jan. 1 in Stockton near the Calaveras River. He was sentenced in June to 10 days in jail, three years of informal probation, and a nine-month DUI class.
The commission stated, “Judge Mulvihill’s conduct reflects poorly on his integrity, negatively impacts the public’s perception of him, and of the judiciary in general, and is seriously at odds with the canons and expected judicial behavior. Judge Mulvihill promptly reported his arrest, acknowledged that he had committed serious misconduct, and cooperated fully and honestly in commission proceedings. The judge also made discourteous remarks towards a litigant in court, which he acknowledged and expressed regret for his lack of dignity and patience.”
