John T. Laettner Removed

John T. Laettner, a Contra Costa County Superior Court judge, was removed from office by the California Commission on Judicial Performance for what the Commission itself described as "a pattern of undignified, discourteous and offensive conduct toward women" spanning more than a decade. The Commission's findings included denying a defendant due process, having improper conversations with attorneys, and comments that constituted sexual harassment. The Commission also found Laettner had generally been an "exemplary, conscientious judge" apart from this pattern — the removal rested specifically on the harassment and due-process findings. Laettner's removal became final after the California Supreme Court denied his appeal. In February 2024, the California Supreme Court agreed to restore his law license, based on State Bar Court findings that he had undergone therapy, understood his past misconduct, and was unlikely to repeat it; his prohibition from ever again holding judicial office remains in place.