Judges and Judiciary
Mar. 4, 2026
Judge's 'hot mic' mistrial leads to reassignment to former law partner
Plaintiff's attorney alleges dental malpractice case was steered by the recused judge to his former law firm partner rather than it being randomly reassigned after mistrial triggered by "hot mic" comments.
A mistrial triggered by a Santa Monica judge's unintentionally recorded comments that he was going to "kill this case" has evolved into a dispute over the action's same-day reassignment, with the plaintiff's attorney on Tuesday alleging it was not randomly reassigned through the court's normal procedures but was transferred to a "very good friend" and former law partner.
After Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark H. Epstein recused himse...
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