Karen Neoh / CC
A Racine County Circuit judge admits he mishandled two cases in his court in 2014. The Wisconsin Judicial Commission has accused Judge Michael Piontek of misconduct. Piontek made a phone call to prosecutors from his office concerning a theft case and failed to tell the defense. He later recused himself. In a second case, he presided over a sentencing hearing without telling lawyers he had searched for the defendant on social media. Piontek had never been the subject of a complaint or grievance, until the two cases which were questioned.
