Court orders rude judge’s suspension

OLYMPIA – The state Supreme Court says a King County judge who has been compared to TV’s “Judge Judy” should be suspended without pay for five days for being rude to defendants in her courtroom.

A sharply divided court ruled Thursday that King County District Judge Judith Eiler violated rules requiring judges to be “patient, dignified, and courteous” to defendants, lawyers and others.

Five justices, led by Justice Jim Johnson, ruled in favor of the five-day suspension plus censure. But four others insisted that Eiler should be subject to a 90-day suspension recommended by the Commission on Judicial Conduct.