Circuit Judge Charles Cope will face public reprimand in his "disrepute" case.
By MATTHEW WAITE
Published May 30, 2003
Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Charles W. Cope will be publicly reprimanded for an incident at a California hotel in 2001, but he is not entitled to the attorney's fees he requested, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
Cope had been seeking $389,000 in attorney's fees, saying he prevailed at a trial in June 2002 over allegations of his violating judicial conduct rules.
Cope argued that since the Judicial Qualifications Commission dismissed the four charges he contested, he won. On two charges, Cope admitted guilt.
A JQC attorney argued that Cope should have to pay the state for the cost of prosecution.
In an unsigned opinion issued Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court said the JQC prevailed in proving Cope's behavior "brought the judiciary into disrepute." The justices ordered that Cope and the state pay their own expenses.
The JQC recommended last June that Cope be publicly reprimanded for his actions, and Cope did not contest the punishment.
"Given his sincere remorse and his exemplary performance as a judge, a public reprimand is appropriate," the state Supreme Court opinion reads.
The justices ordered Cope to stand before them at an as-yet-undetermined date for a reprimand.
Cope would not answer a reporter's call directly Thursday, and released a statement through Ron Stuart, a court public information officer.
"I am pleased this matter is resolved with finality," Cope's statement read.
Cope was found guilty by a JQC hearing panel on charges of public intoxication and improper sexual conduct while he was visiting Carmel, Calif., for a judicial conference in April 2001. Two women accused Cope of stealing their hotel room key and trying to enter their room.
In August 2002, Cope and the JQC filed dueling requests for attorneys' fees before the state's Supreme Court.
That month, Cope pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of public intoxication in a plea agreement in California. Five other misdemeanors were dropped, and Cope was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and agreed to donate $5,000 to a shelter for homeless women.
Much of the argument over who was entitled to legal fees in Cope's JQC case was over how Cope answered questions about being drunk the night of the incident. Cope argued that since he admitted being drunk, no hearing was needed.
However, the Florida Supreme Court thought otherwise, writing that Cope did not fully admit guilt.
Cope is a family law judge. He has served as a circuit judge since 1992.
