Third District Judge Leslie Lewis' 15-year judicial career came to an end faster than expected after she was granted an administrative leave Friday that extends until her term in office is officially over on Jan. 1, 2007.
Utah Chief Justice Christine Durham approved Lewis' request for the time off and issued a brief written statement late Friday.
"It has been determined that administrative leave is in the best interests of the judiciary and Judge Lewis. Administrative leave will promote the proper and efficient functioning of the courts," Durham wrote.
Durham said she made the decision after studying the merits of the request and after conferring with the presiding judge, in this case, 3rd District Judge Sandra Peuler.
Lewis will be relieved of her caseload but will remain on the state payroll. District court judges make $114,400 annually.
"The presiding judge will assign her cases to other judges until another judge is appointed," said Nancy Volmer, public information officer for the Administrative Office of the Courts. "With the way the process goes, we may not have a new judge until March or April."
Individuals may apply for the vacancy to the 3rd District Judicial Nominating Commission, which selects five candidates and sends these recommendations to Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. The governor then chooses one person and forwards that name to the Senate for confirmation.
The controversial Lewis was championed by many crime victims but recently has come under fire from a number of sources, especially for her courtroom behavior and remarks.
She was removed from the bench by 54 percent of the voters in her judicial district in the Nov. 7 election.
Lewis incurred the wrath of hunters, gun owners and many citizens after she had one man in her courtroom, who was not charged with a crime, taken into custody for about 20 minutes after he heaved a sigh and walked out after Lewis made anti-hunting remarks.
An anonymous individual created a Web site that led viewers to a courtroom video clip of Lewis angrily scolding the man, not letting him respond to her questions and then having him handcuffed and taken to a holding cell.
At the time, she was in the process of recusing herself in a poaching case by speaking of her aversion to deer hunting. The man filed a complaint with the Judicial Conduct Commission.
Another dilemma recently came to light when a defense attorney came forward claiming he believed Lewis had reduced his client's sentence for multiple sex offenses involving a child about a month after the sentencing, without telling prosecutors. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office filed a complaint with JCC regarding this allegation.
Lewis previously worked as a prosecutor and also was in private practice. She served on a number of legal and community service organizations, won numerous awards while on the bench and was especially interested in preventing child abuse and getting treatment for substance abusers. She also started a literacy program in the jails.
E-mail: lindat@desnews.com