Honorable Bruce W. Dodds v. American Broadcasting Company, Inc., a Delaware Corporation

REINHARDT, Circuit Judge:

It has been said by supporters of the Honorable Bruce Dodds, a California state court judge, that he is “tough,” “short,” “abrupt,” “direct,” “rude,” “impatient,” and “gruff.” Dodds v. Commission on Judicial Performance, 12 Cal.4th 163, 48 Cal.Rptr.2d 4 106, 906 P.2d 1260, 1265 (1995). It has been ' said by others less sympathetic to his cause that he uses a crystal ball in deciding cases and that he is “anything but a respectable superior court judge.” Perhaps understandably, the latter remarks, broadcast nationwide on a news magazine program by the American…