Judge MacEachern Bounced From Bench!

JUDGE REMOVED FROM BENCH
In a bit of news that is sure to raise some eyebrows in the land of Newport-Mesa, the Orange County Register reports HERE that Judge Kelly MacEachern has been removed from the bench by a judicial commission, apparently for falsifying expense reports and lying about it. She apparently plans to appeal the removal, which will become permanent in 30 days, to the State Supreme Court.

SHE DISMISSED ACOSTA TRIAL
Observers of all things Costa Mesa will recognize MacEachern's name as the judge who dismissed the criminal case filed by the City of Costa Mesa against Benito Acosta last fall because the prosecutor, Dan Peelman, had not been properly sworn in before he took the case to trial. I suspect there are smiles all around at the offices of Jones & Mayer, the legal firm which provides the City of Costa Mesa with City Attorney services in the form of Kimberly Hall Barlow and where Peelman also works. MacEachern's decision to dismiss the Acosta case is under appeal by Peelman - at the expense of Jones & Mayer, not the City of Costa Mesa.

IMPACT ON THE APPEAL?
It's unclear if MacEachern's removal from the bench will have any impact on the Acosta trial at this point. Obviously, if her removal is upheld and Peelman's appeal of her decision on the Acosta case is allowed, another judge would have to hear the case. That would mean more dollars from our municipal coffers to try a case that should never have existed. And, of course, still pending is the civil trial Acosta filed against Allan Mansoor and the city. That case potentially represents more dollars - a lot more.

PAY ATTENTION, WILL YA!
Who ever said things are dull around these parts just isn't paying attention!