The state Court of Judicial Discipline has permanently removed Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge Dawn A. Segal from the bench.
A one-page order issued Dec. 16 by the court states: “It is ordered and directed that respondent Dawn A. Segal is removed from office and shall be ineligible to hold judicial office in the future.”
Segal, an open lesbian, served as a Philadelphia municipal-court judge for about six years. She was suspended without pay in February after acknowledging having improper discussions about three court cases pending before her.
The discussions, several of which were taped, occurred with then-Municipal Court Judge Joseph C. Waters in 2011-12.
Segal is permitted to appeal the court’s decision to the state Supreme Court. Stuart L. Haimowitz, an attorney for Segal, wasn’t immediately available for comment.
In a nine-page opinion accompanying its order, the court said corruption within the Pennsylvania judiciary is intolerable.
“We have said before that our judicial system should stand as the symbol of fairness and justice, and of equal protection dispensed to every citizen,” the opinion states. “We have also said that no type of corruption is tolerable in the Pennsylvania judiciary.”
The opinion also states that Segal shouldn’t blame everything on Waters.
“After reviewing all the evidence in this case, we must reject [Segal’s] earlier contention that the problems here were all created by Waters and his corrupt motives. We find nothing in the record which even remotely suggests that [Segal’s] misconduct was anything but fully voluntary and done to protect her own political welfare.”
The opinion adds: “Based on the overwhelming nature of the evidence in this case by way of the [FBI] wiretapped conversations, and in light of the clear mandates of the canons and constitutional provisions, we conclude that [Segal’s] conduct shows she knowingly acted in derogation of the judicial canons and, therefore, her actions amounted to willful misconduct.”
On Nov. 21, Segal appeared in a Harrisburg courtroom and pleaded with the seven-member court to reinstate her. She expressed remorse for her misconduct and promised to be a better judge in the future.
Segal also said she’s been making good use of her time while suspended, such as providing college guidance to Philadelphia public-school students, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and caring for her best friend, who is dying.
In legal filings, Haimowitz noted that other judges who committed ethics violations more serious than Segal’s were issued temporary suspensions, then permitted to resume their judicial duties. The filings also emphasized that Segal didn’t tailor any of her rulings to suit the expectations of Waters.
The judges who issued the order are Jack A. Panella, Carmella Mullen, John J. Soroko, David J. Shrager, David J. Barton and Doris Carson Williams.
Supporters of Segal were optimistic the court would allow her to return to the bench. They noted that Panella actually commended her for expressing remorse, during her Nov. 21 court appearance.
“This is my seventh year on this court,” Panella told Segal. “I think I’ve served longer than any other judge. That’s the first time I ever heard a judge say that they feel badly about the negative light they put their colleagues in. So my credit goes to you for saying that. That’s the very first time I’ve ever heard that.”
Segal responded, “Wow.”
Waters, 63, was convicted of fraud and spent almost two years in federal prison. He was released on Nov. 25, according to prison records.
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