Cohen [pictured] continues to maintain her right to serve as an Israeli Judge, despite her conviction by the Judicial Disciplinary Court of forging the records of court proceedings and destroying court documents to cover up her repeated late arrivals.
In the early summer, a disciplinary court found that Judge Cohen had on several occasions arrived late for the hearings prompting the defendents to depart the courthouse leaving behind written requests for postponement. Cohen granted the postponements, but not before recording a make-believe session in the protocols as though the defendents had orally requested postponement. She proceeded to tear up the written requests which were left behind and dispose of them.
Although Cohen was convicted in June for her acts of forgery and destruction of court documentation, the Judicial Disciplinary Court did not call for her forced resignation. Supreme Court Justices Mishael Cheshin and Eliezer Rivlin ruled to suffice with rebuking Cohen for her actions and ordering her to be transferred to another judicary post. "Tearing up requests and throwing the pieces into the trash is a serious lapse in Judge Cohen's conduct, and we note that we have never heard of this type of conduct by a judge," Cheshin wrote.
In a lone dissenting opinion, Judge Moussia Arad called for Cohen’s removal from her position: “The opinion I wrote describes the judge's actions in detail. These acts show that the judge intentionally prepared, in 14 cases, false transcripts and destroyed requests by the defendants in order to prevent the documentation of her many late arrivals at the courthouse. Therefore, in my opinion, the appropriate punishment for the inappropriate conduct of the judge is to remove her from her post," she stated.
As part of her line of defense, Judge Cohen told the disciplinary court, "All of the judges do it." Cohen's attorney Baruch Rubin defended his client's stance, stating "the moment that the court made its decision that there was no ethical oversight in her actions and decreed that the judge was not acting with malicious intent, she does not feel it is incumbent upon her to resign."
Rubin explained, "The judge weighed all her options and decided that there is no need for her to resign simply because certain people in the system believe she should."
Pressure on Cohen to resign continues to intensify. Judge Arad strongly advocated for the removal of Cohen from her post, citing her inability to display honesty and integrity. Arad wrote in her opinion, "At the foundation of being a judge are personal integrity and honesty. Without these traits a person cannot be a judge.” Supreme Court President Aharon Barak asked Cohen to step down voluntarily.
Concerned that Cohen's continued presiding as a judge will constitute a blow to public confidence in the court system, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni took what is considered a drastic step of calling for a special session of the Judicial Appointments Committee to disqualify Cohen from continuing in any judicial position. Cohen said, in response, that the committee does not have the authority to overturn the decision of the Judicial Disciplinary Court which already ruled to allow her to continue in another judicial post.
The committee convened earlier this week and decided to postpone its decision on Cohen's fate, allowing the judge the opportunity to continue negotiations that would result in her voluntary resignation. The committee needs a majority of seven out of nine members in order to force the ousting of a judge. Livini says she is confident that the committee will decide to call on Cohen to quit.
In the early summer, a disciplinary court found that Judge Cohen had on several occasions arrived late for the hearings prompting the defendents to depart the courthouse leaving behind written requests for postponement. Cohen granted the postponements, but not before recording a make-believe session in the protocols as though the defendents had orally requested postponement. She proceeded to tear up the written requests which were left behind and dispose of them.
Although Cohen was convicted in June for her acts of forgery and destruction of court documentation, the Judicial Disciplinary Court did not call for her forced resignation. Supreme Court Justices Mishael Cheshin and Eliezer Rivlin ruled to suffice with rebuking Cohen for her actions and ordering her to be transferred to another judicary post. "Tearing up requests and throwing the pieces into the trash is a serious lapse in Judge Cohen's conduct, and we note that we have never heard of this type of conduct by a judge," Cheshin wrote.
In a lone dissenting opinion, Judge Moussia Arad called for Cohen’s removal from her position: “The opinion I wrote describes the judge's actions in detail. These acts show that the judge intentionally prepared, in 14 cases, false transcripts and destroyed requests by the defendants in order to prevent the documentation of her many late arrivals at the courthouse. Therefore, in my opinion, the appropriate punishment for the inappropriate conduct of the judge is to remove her from her post," she stated.
As part of her line of defense, Judge Cohen told the disciplinary court, "All of the judges do it." Cohen's attorney Baruch Rubin defended his client's stance, stating "the moment that the court made its decision that there was no ethical oversight in her actions and decreed that the judge was not acting with malicious intent, she does not feel it is incumbent upon her to resign."
Rubin explained, "The judge weighed all her options and decided that there is no need for her to resign simply because certain people in the system believe she should."
Pressure on Cohen to resign continues to intensify. Judge Arad strongly advocated for the removal of Cohen from her post, citing her inability to display honesty and integrity. Arad wrote in her opinion, "At the foundation of being a judge are personal integrity and honesty. Without these traits a person cannot be a judge.” Supreme Court President Aharon Barak asked Cohen to step down voluntarily.
Concerned that Cohen's continued presiding as a judge will constitute a blow to public confidence in the court system, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni took what is considered a drastic step of calling for a special session of the Judicial Appointments Committee to disqualify Cohen from continuing in any judicial position. Cohen said, in response, that the committee does not have the authority to overturn the decision of the Judicial Disciplinary Court which already ruled to allow her to continue in another judicial post.
The committee convened earlier this week and decided to postpone its decision on Cohen's fate, allowing the judge the opportunity to continue negotiations that would result in her voluntary resignation. The committee needs a majority of seven out of nine members in order to force the ousting of a judge. Livini says she is confident that the committee will decide to call on Cohen to quit.