Private Order of Additional Education of a Justice of the Peace (01/16/02)

After voluntarily recusing himself from presiding over a civil lawsuit because of a conflict of interest, the judge granted one party's request for a continuance. The judge lacked the authority to grant the requested Motion for Continuance since the judge had already been removed from the case.  The judge's written and verbal responses to the Commission's inquiries further demonstrated a lack of knowledge relating to the proper handling of recusals and the transfer of cases.  [Violation of Canon 3B(2) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct.]  Private Order of Additional Education of a Justice of the Peace (01/16/02)