Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline Complaint Form Return Notarized form by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested to: Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline Licht Judicial Complex 250 Benefit Street, Room 604 Providence, RI 02903 (Please type or print) t beteot mea August 24, 2007 ol you Nene. Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire (#6215) Street Address 571 Pontiac Avenue City, State, Zip Cranston, RI_02910 3, Telephone Number, (401) 354-2369 4, Judge against whom you wish to file a complaint ‘judae's tua perme! Associate Justice Laureen D'Ambra oan Washington County Family Court 5. If this complaint is prepared by an attorney, or if itis being submitted upon the advice of an attorney, please state his or her name and address: Nani Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire (#6215) ‘Shoat Aacoas 571 Pontiac Avenue City, State, Zip Cranston, RI 02910 6. Attach as many sheets as necessary to accurately state your complaint — noting the number of pages filed in the Verification section For Commission use only File No. Date received Mailed to members.Statement of Facts Concerning Judge Lauren DAmbra (Please type or print) (See Attached two (2) page statement accompanied by 25 pages of transcript and one (1) Family Court Drug Certification Result totaling 28 pages excluding within two (2) page complaint form. VIOLATIONS: ‘The Code of Judicial Conduct Preamble provides “judges. ..mluststve to enhance and maintain confidence in our legal system.” CANON 2 (A) A judge ...shhall act at allies in a manner that promotes pubic confidence in the integrity... ofthe judiciary. CANON 3 (@.)1) judge shall hear and decide matters assigned to the judge except those in which disqualfication is required. CANON 3 (€.)(5)() A judge may properly intervene in atrial of a case to promote expedition, but ajudge should bear in mind that his ‘or her undue or unreasonable interference may tend to prevent the proper presentation ofa Case or the ascertainment ofthe truth CANONS (€.)(5\(H) A judge should be studious to avoid controversies which are apt to obscure the merit of the dispute between Iigants, CANON 3 (0 }(2)() A judge who receives information indicating a substantial ikelInood that a lawyer has cemmited a violation of the ules of Protessional Cordiuct should take appropriate action. CANON 3 (0,)(2)() A Juage having knowledge that a lawyer has committed a violation ofthe Rules of Professional Conduct that ‘aiges a substantial question as to the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects shal inform the appropriate authoriy, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel iplainant’s signature VERIFICATION Providence Coty This page and the additional__28 __ page(s) were subscribed and swom to befcre me by the above-named this a / day of. Aug 2007, Notary Public Fe Please print Notary's nameDear Commission Members, 1am an attorney in good standing licensed to practice law in the State of Rhode Island, On July 23, 2007, I appeared in Washington County Family Court before Associate Justice Lauren D’ Ambra for a continued trial in the divorce matter of Sullivan v. Sullivan, F.C No W06-0164, in which I represented Mr. Sullivan. Though | was prepared for trial, I was entirely unprepared for what was about to take place instead. ‘Within seconds of the Judge calling the matter, she purposefully began a hearing on the record on the sole issue of my alleged impairment. While at first I was in a state of disbelief, my emotion quickly escalated to shock when the allegations were enlarged to include marijaana use. Without warring, blind-sided and reeling from the incredulity of the unfolding scenario, | ‘watched as certain court staff members were sworn in and began giving testimony. Placed in an unenviable defensive posture, I attempted to respond to the accusations made by these court personnel, but as if on a mission, the Judge also swore in my own. client; he was befuddled and alarmed at what was taking place. She went or to caution me that I needed to determine whether I was able to represent my client in this matter, given the representations that had been made. I was aghast and humiliated. ‘And so there I stood, accused, listening to the testimony of individuals stating that they had “smelled marijuana” on me. To my ongoing amazement, one witness's hearsay testimony pertained to what was told to him by another unnamed person “in confidence”! The Judge led the questioning of these witnesses - no foundation was presented for their testimony, no cross-examination, no opportunity for rebuttal, but eclipsing all of this, was the fact that I was being accused of criminal activity in open court. Clients, fellow attorneys, court employees, and lay observers in that courtroom all witnessed a fifteen- ‘minute hearing which is now proving to be the destruction of my professional reputation. Regrettably, [ now fully appreciate how small a state Rhode Island is and how small the Bar is which functions within its confines. Within days of this event, and despite having been promptly vindicated by a clean drug/alcohol screen, I was already being contacted by colleagues relaying to me various renditions of what they heard had oceurred. The jtuation was exacerbated in that Judge D’Ambra’s “inquest” concluded with me insisting that I be allowed to leave the courtroom and get an immediate drug screen. Although the results were telephoned in to the Judge that very afternoon, other individuals present at that hearing would have had to return the next day in order to learn that my drug screen was clean. Hence, I have been sickened to hear, and sometimes overhear, myself being discussed and referred to as having a drug addition problem. I have been the topic of conversation between attomeys, judges, and even, on at least one occasion that | am aware of, Rhode Island State Police officers. I have found myself being stared at in court and have overheard other practitioners, whom I did not know personally, talking about me within earshot, simply because they did not recognize me by sight. In one of these instances, the story had morphed into that of cocaine use. In another instant, it was erroneously