It is important for laws to be written as clearly as possible and applied as fairly as possible, not only so that justice will be done for individuals involved in particular cases but to promote public confidence in the administration of justice in our courts.
We believe that Hamilton County General Sessions Judge Bob Moon is a fine man who is conscientious in his duties and who certainly means well, but he has gotten himself into a regrettable predicament.
Three current complaints about Moon led the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary to issue him a public reprimand.
In a letter dated Jan. 3, Presiding Court of the Judiciary Judge Chris Craft stated that Moon had violated a rule calling on judges to “respect and comply with the law” and requiring them to “act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the Judiciary.”
In one case, Moon threatened to have a “reluctant victim/witness of a domestic assault” arrested if she did not testify in a way that Moon found truthful, the reprimand stated. Moon responded that witnesses must answer questions, barring improper questions or some privilege that permits them not to answer.