The Rhode Island Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline is calling for the removal of District Court Judge Rafael Ovalles after finding that he committed 41 violations of judicial canons.
“The integrity of the Rhode Island judicial system is paramount,” the commission writes in a blistering 244-page report. “Criminal defendants, victims, witnesses, civil litigants, the state, and attorneys should not be left to question whether they receive fair treatment at the hands of a judicial officer. The public has been witness to Judge Ovalles’s uneven temperament, his lack of competence, and his vindictiveness. His conduct thus far has undermined public confidence in and perception of the judiciary.”
In a statement, Angel Taveras, Ovalles’ nephew and a member of his defense team, said, “We strongly disagree with the Commission’s process and recommendation in this matter and will pursue all legal remedies available to Judge Ovalles.”
Among other things, Ovalles was accused of being rude and inappropriate with female court workers.
The decision on whether to remove Ovalles is up to the Rhode Island Supreme Court.