LA County Judge Admonished for Rifling Through Fellow Judges' Offices
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has been publicly admonished for repeatedly entering the private offices of her colleagues after hours, rifling through their confidential documents, and attempting to access their personal computers. The California Commission on Judicial Performance criticized Judge Daviann L. Mitchell for a severe breach of trust, describing her actions as entirely incompatible with the ethical behavior expected of judges.
Judge Mitchell, who has served on the bench since 2006, was found to have entered the chambers of two other judges without permission on multiple occasions in 2023. The commission's investigation revealed that Mitchell had accessed the private offices of Supervising Judge Denise McLaughlin-Bennett and Judge Kathleen Blanchard after court hours, violating both their privacy and the security of their confidential work materials.
According to the commission's report, Mitchell entered McLaughlin-Bennett's chambers, which contained sensitive judicial documents, on several occasions. After McLaughlin-Bennett became aware of the unauthorized entries, she took security measures, including locking her office and relocating confidential documents. Despite these precautions, Mitchell continued her behavior, prompting the judge to change the locks on her office door.
In addition to violating McLaughlin-Bennett’s privacy, Mitchell also used a master key to access Judge Blanchard's chambers on six separate occasions between October and December 2023. During these unauthorized visits, Mitchell rifled through papers on Blanchard's desk, searched through closed cabinets and personal briefcases, and attempted to access the judge's computer. The commission made it clear that the documents Mitchell reviewed were not related to any judicial or administrative duties, underscoring the invasive nature of her actions.
Mitchell’s actions caused considerable concern among her colleagues, and after her unauthorized entries, McLaughlin-Bennett took further steps to protect her workspace, including installing security cameras in the hallways adjacent to the judges' chambers.
Mitchell has since expressed remorse for her actions, admitting that her behavior was “entirely unacceptable.” She cited a period of intense personal and professional stress, which she believes affected her mental health and contributed to her inability to function appropriately. The judge claimed that her stress led her to “lose her way” and admitted to the commission that she had sought advice from mentors and court management to address the underlying issues.
However, this is not the first time Mitchell has faced disciplinary action. In 2010, the commission issued an advisory letter for failing to disclose her extensive involvement in dog breeding while presiding over a case involving animal cruelty. Mitchell, an animal enthusiast since childhood, was involved in breeding and showing Rottweilers. She was a former deputy district attorney and had established her own dog breeding business, Nighthawk Rottweilers, in 1982.
Additionally, Mitchell's behavior toward a defendant in 2023 also led to a reprimand from the commission. During a no-contest plea agreement in a child endangerment case, Mitchell made inappropriate comments to the defendant about his physical appearance, telling him he would be an "attraction" in prison. These remarks were deemed undignified and discourteous by the commission.
While Mitchell has expressed regret and acknowledged her wrongdoing, the commission’s findings demonstrate serious concerns about her professionalism and adherence to the standards of conduct required of judges.
