A California judge has been accused of abusive behavior and racial bias in her courtroom in a scathing motion supported by 17 attorneys.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Ann Murphy, ‘screams’ at lawyers, ‘displays blatant favoritism’ and even ‘willfully traumatized’ a 12-year-old quadriplegic witness, according to a complaint lodged by attorney Nicholas C. Rowley.

He claimed the 70 year-old judge’s ‘explosive’ temper is preventing him from doing his job and begged another judge to put an end to her ‘reign of terror’.

‘Judge Murphy’s bizarre behavior is scary for lawyers and is hurting their clients who can’t stand up for themselves,’ Rowley told the Southern California News Group.

‘She’s a bully. People have been tolerating that for decades. This is the first time anyone has stood up to her.’

The alleged behavior has become so bad that ten court reporters refused to work after learning she was presiding over the case, according to attorney Alex Guerrero who is among those speaking out.

Rowley submitted a written complaint to Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II and the state’s Commission on Judicial Performance about Murphy.

He claimed that her treatment of, ‘non-White lawyers and litigants, including my own clients and co-counsel, is so disparate that it creates the appearance of racial bias’.

California judge Mary Ann Murphy has been accused of abusive behavior and racial bias in her courtroom in a scathing motion supported by 17 attorneys

Attorney Nicholas C. Rowley is leading the complaints against Murphy, who he is requesting be removed from a trial he is involved in

Rowley is moving to have the judge removed from a trial where he is representing six children whose families are suing Mountain View School District in South El Monte school district after their kids were sexually abused by a teacher.

The lawsuit seeks $100 million for alleged negligence stemming from a conviction against  teacher Joseph Alfred Baldenebro, who was 20 years in prison for inappropriately touching girls ranging in age from 8 to 11.

Online reviews for Murphy, who earned $231,735 in 2023, are also scathing. They range from claims she snarled at a court clerk for sneezing during a hearing to an allegation that she erupted at an elderly attorney who struggled to hear something she’d said.  

Rowley claims that Murphy ‘pulled out every stop’ to hinder him from serving his clients, including preventing questioning jurors during the selection process as part of normal voir dire. That sees jurors questioned by attorneys to try and identify potential biases that could affect their ability to try the case fairly. 

‘Judge Murphy was rude and interrupted me from the very beginning of my voir dire in a way that I have never experienced in what was 185 jury trials before I started this one,’ the motion states.

Lawyers claim they have been pushed to tears by Murphy’s ‘explosive’ temper

‘Judge Murphy refused to allow me to treat the prospective jurors with courtesy, despite my express ethical obligation to do so.’

Attorney Sarah Havens, president of the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, submitted a declaration in support of this account after she attended the court.

She said Murphy’s conduct actively turned jurors against him.

‘It was palpable,’ Havens said. ‘I could hear it under their breaths, I could feel it in the room. 

‘I do not believe that any prospective juror in that Friday courtroom could fairly sit on a panel after what they witnessed and experienced in that courtroom.’ 

The complaint claims that Murphy has frequently brought lawyers to tears with the alleged outbursts and often throws people out of her court under false pretenses to prevent them recording the behavior.

Attorney Keith Bruno, who is co-counsel with Rowley, said on March 14 Murphy acted with open hostility to an elderly teacher who was giving evidence about reporting a suspected pedophile. 

It accuses her of using racially charged language, including one example where she said a Latina attorney ‘scurried’ in what Rowley says was evocative of a cockroach or rat. 

He also claims that she has no grip over her court, even allowing attorneys to become embroiled in physical altercations without reproach.

Attorney Sung ‘Sean’ Kim described an incident during a sidebar in Murphy’s courtroom when  a defense attorney ‘shoulder-checked’ his co-counsel and alluded to fighting in the parking lot. Kim said this went unchallenged by Murphy. 

He claims Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Ann Murphy ‘screams’ at lawyers and has been racist towards his co-counsel

A Los Angeles Superior Court spokesman confirmed to the East Bay Times that all complaints are investigated by Judge Tapia.

‘Should a complaint investigation conclude that there has been a violation of a provision of the Code of Judicial Ethics, appropriate corrective action may include reporting the violation to the appropriate authority, including the Commission on Judicial Performance,’ the statement said. 

Rowley said that Murphy’s behavior has improved since the complaint was submitted. 

DailyMail.com has contacted Los Angeles Superior Court and Murphy for comment.