Kitchens
LIVINGSTON - The State Commission on Judicial Conduct has issued a public admonition for Travis Kitchens, a Texas judge who made headlines when he ordered parents in his courtroom to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
During its meeting last month, the commission concluded Kitchens, who presides over the 258th Judicial District Court, should be publicly admonished for ordering parents in a contested family law matter to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine or produce a negative test.
On May 10, 2021, Kitchens presided over a contested hearing regarding temporary orders in a family law custody case. He was advised that the mother and the children were under quarantine because the mother’s boyfriend had COVID-19, was presently in the hospital and had exposed them to it. Kitchens changed the date of the father’s visitation and placed in the temporary orders the following:
“It is ORDERED that CHRISTOPHER STALEY and AGUSTINA STALEY are to sign up and receive a COVID-19 vaccination on or before June 10, 2021, or at their option, to receive a COVID-19 test with negative results, the test taken within 72 hours of any visitation provided by these Temporary Orders.”
In his response to the commission, Kitchens stated he thought his decision was in the best interest of the children to try and minimize their exposure to COVID-19.
The commission, in a separate matter, also found that Kitchens failed to comply with the law and maintain professional competence when he mandated defense counsels and defendants to certify they had counseled their clients on the court’s mandatory reading prior to accepting plea agreements.
“Judge Kitchens’s failures in the foregoing respects constituted willful or persistent conduct that is clearly inconsistent with the proper performance of his duties and cast public discredit on the judiciary or on the administration of justice …,” states the commission’s findings of fact.
CJC NO. 21-1342
