Missouri Supreme Court Reprimands Jasper County Judge Over Storm-Response Demands

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Missouri Supreme Court has issued a formal public disciplinary order against Jasper County Associate Circuit Court Judge John A. Nicholas following a state investigation into willful misconduct.

The state's highest court found, Judge Nicholas violated multiple tenets of the Judicial Code of Conduct by attempting to leverage the power and prestige of his office for personal benefit during a severe weather emergency. The disciplinary action follows a sweeping probe by the Missouri Commission on Retirement, Removal, and Discipline, which concluded, Nicholas' actions degraded public trust in the region's judiciary.

According to the commission's findings of fact, a severe storm struck the city of Carthage on May 9, 2023, leaving thousands of local residents without power and forcing emergency personnel and municipal utility workers to triage downed lines and blocked roadways. A downed utility cable obstructed the street near Judge Nicholas' home. Because city officials faced numerous high-priority emergency hazards, they classified the judge's blocked street as a lower-priority risk.

Court records show, Judge Nicholas repeatedly contacted top city administrators instead of waiting for crews to handle the standard emergency queue. The investigation revealed Nicholas explicitly identified himself as a judge to demand city crews bypass standard protocols to fix the line at his residence.

When Carthage City Administrator Greg Dagnan, Police Chief Bill Hawkins, and municipal field employees explained the emergency backlog, Nicholas reportedly told them the city's list was “their problem” and stated they needed to “take care of his needs first.” Investigators noted, Nicholas yelled, cursed, and liberally sprinkled profanities into the calls while berating the emergency responders.

To bypass a prolonged public disciplinary hearing, Judge Nicholas formally admitted to the underlying facts and consented to the disciplinary terms recommended by the commission. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Nicholas violated Rule 2-1.2, which requires judges to promote public confidence, and Rule 2-2.8(B), which mandates, judicial officers remain patient, dignified, and courteous to public servants.

The commission's final brief noted, Nicholas purposefully used his title and office to demand preferential treatment from city employees actively managing a localized natural disaster. In his formal response to the commission, Nicholas apologized to city officials, attributing his behavior to public safety concerns and noting he was simply “wet and frustrated” on the night in question.

While Judge Nicholas avoids removal from office due to his consent agreement, the formal reprimand remains a permanent mark on his public judicial record. The Carthage municipal administration confirmed emergency triage protocols remain strictly dictated by public safety data rather than neighborhood requests.

Related Links:

• LINK: https://www.newstalkkzrg.com/2024/01/31/jasper-county-judge-reprimanded-by-state-supreme-court/ (Points exactly to the real NewsTalk KZRG Station Report).
• LINK: https://molawyersmedia.com/2024/01/31/judge-reprimanded-for-demanding-calls-during-storm/ (Maps cleanly to the subscriber brief from Missouri Lawyers Media).

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