North Texas Judge and DA in Bitter Dispute Over Hundreds of Cases

Judicial Recusal Dispute

• 🎯 Cooke County DA John Warren is seeking to recuse Judge Janelle Haverkamp from approximately 400 criminal and civil cases.
• ⚠️ The DA accuses the judge of having a vendetta against his office, stemming from a 1997 murder case.

Allegations of Misconduct

• ⚖️ The controversy ignited after Warren agreed that Judge Haverkamp withheld evidence in a 1997 murder case when she was the district attorney.
• 💡 Attorneys for Michael Newberry are attempting to overturn his conviction based on this alleged misconduct.
• 🚫 If Newberry's conviction is overturned, DA Warren has stated he will drop the charges against him.

Legal Proceedings and Decisions

• 🏛️ An administrative judge for the region presided over the hearing to decide on the recusal request.
• ⏳ A decision on whether Judge Haverkamp will be removed from the remaining cases is expected in about 10 days.
• 🔍 Separately, another judge is reviewing whether Haverkamp withheld evidence in the 1997 murder trial, with the Court of Criminal Appeals potentially deciding on a new trial.
• 🎤 Both DA Warren and Judge Haverkamp have declined to comment on the ongoing proceedings.