Former state Supreme Court Chief Justice William Sullivan withdrew his appeal of a 15-day suspension for violating judicial ethics codes.
The decision ends a scandal that came to light April 24, 2006, when Sullivan acknowledged delaying the release of a ruling to keep certain court records secret. He was trying to help fellow Justice Peter Zarella win confirmation to succeed him as chief justice.
Zarella withdrew from consideration and Gov. M. Jodi Rell nominated Justice Chase T. Rogers, who was confirmed in April 2007.
“I concluded that it is in the best interest of both the Judicial Branch and my family to finally bring this almost two-year-old matter to an end,” Sullivan said in a statement released by the Judicial Department. “It was a great privilege to serve for five years as Chief Justice and I am very grateful for all the support I have received during that time and during the last two years.”
State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who represented the Judicial Review Council that imposed the suspension, commended Sullivan for dropping his appeal.
“This step closes an unfortunate chapter — confirming the profound importance of ethical standards and the rule of law,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “Upholding the judicial council’s enforcement order is vital, and we welcome former Chief Justice Sullivan’s decision to withdraw his appeal. The message should be that ethical standards will be enforced vigorously.”
The uproar in the General Assembly that followed the ethics violation led to task forces established by Rell and acting Chief Justice David M. Borden.
Both recommended how to make Connecticut’s judicial branch more open and transparent to the public, such as making judges’ attendance records open to review, expanding the use of cameras in courtrooms and providing online access to criminal conviction information.