State v. Black

Justice DURHAM,

opinion of the Court:

INTRODUCTION

{1 This case presents two questions: (1) whether a district court judge created an appearance of bias requiring his disqualification from the case and (2) whether a district court judge may act as both a magistrate and: a judge in the same criminal case. The first question became moot when the judge was transferred to a different court docket, causing this case to be reassigned during the pendency of this appeal. We therefore do not resolve it. As to the second question, we hold that a district court judge retains the authority to act as a judge…