The Commission on Judicial Performance, California’s judicial watchdog agency, has publicly censured a longstanding San Diego judge known as Howard Shore for missing the equivalent of five month’s work over a span of two years. This censure is the strongest form of punishment the Commission can deliver, barring removal from office.
In an order made public recently, the Commission specifics that Shore was absent without authorization from his courthouse for a minimum of 155 days, which notably included most Fridays, during 2021 and 2022. The citation of these absences was based on the findings of the Presiding Judge, Michael Smyth.
Superior Court Judge Howard Shore attributed these frequent absences to a combination of family obligations and work at home, additionally mentioning “other judges leaving early” while accounting for his time away. Anyone wishing to delve further into the details can reference the original reporting here.