Attorney Frances-Ann Fine of Henderson, NV; ethical dwarf

The state of Nevada presented Francis-Ann Fine with a law license in 198 after he graduated from Golden Gate University Law School.

The Nevada Judicial Commission found Frances-Ann guilty of the following misconduct.

Frances-Ann’s 1^st bite at the Judicial Misconduct Apple Tree

At the time of her misconduct, Frances-Ann was a District Court Judge in Clark County.

While on the bench, Frances-Ann permitted and also participated in ex parte (one sided) communication with Judge Gerald Hardcastle on several occasions in regards to the Shumny divorce proceedings, which was then pending before Judge Hardcastle.

Frances-Ann also participated in six or seven ex parte communications with Judge Steven Jones regarding the Shumny divorce, at a time when Judge Jones had jurisdiction over the custody issues in the case.

While Judge Jones was hold custody hearings, Frances-Ann appeared as a spectator, and at that time, she engaged in facial gestures, rolled her eyes and shook her head in response to testimony and events occurring at said hearing.

Frances-Ann also allowed a litigant in the Shumny divorce to personally visit with her in chambers, which said chambers were adjacent to the chambers of the judge assigned to the case.

As a consequence of her misconduct, the patron saints for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Judicial Commission punished Frances-Ann by gifting her with a complimentary reprimand.

Frances-Ann’s 2^nd bite at the Judicial Misconduct Apple Tree

In one matter, Frances-Ann participated in an ex parte telephone conversation with Stephanie Crowley, an expert psychologist engaged by one of the parties to the case she was presiding over.

Three months later, Frances-Ann conducted an ex-parte conference with William Sheldon of the Family Mediation and Assessment Center, in which Dr. Lewis Etcoff and Stephanie Crowley participated on the telephone.

In a second matter which involved the family case of Kinnard v Kinnard, Frances-Ann appointed her first cousin Faith Garfield, to serve as a mediator to the parties without having disclosed to the parties or their counsel that Faith Garfield was her first cousin.

Subsequently, Frances-Ann scheduled a hearing directed to the parties in the case to show cause why they should not be held in contempt for having failed to pay Faith for her services. Put simply, Frances-Ann was acting as the ultimate creditor collector for her cousin Faith.

In a third matter involving the family case of Greisen v. Greisen, Frances-Ann met ex parte in chambers on or about February 24, 1996 with William Sheldon of the Family Mediation and Assessment Center and discussed the results of his interview of the parties and the temporary custody of the party's children.

As a consequence of her Second Bite at the Judicial Misfit Apple Tree for providing the folks in Henderson with a repeat performance of her misconduct, the Commission ordered that Frances-Ann be removed from the bench.

As we speak (ca. March 2014), Frances-Ann continues practices with the Fine Law Group at 8975 South Pecos Road in Henderson, Nevada.