The Court of Judicial Discipline has found that Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Willis Berry violated the Code of Conduct and, in fact, engaged in criminal conduct through his operation of a real estate business out of his  courthouse chambers.  The Court explained:  "We find Berry's conduct in this case to be in diametrical opposition to the reasonable expectations of the public respecting the behavior of a judicial officer and find the conduct of this judicial officer so extreme that it brings the judicial office into disrepute." The Court further found that Berry's use of his court secretary to run the real estate business constituted criminal diversion of services.
 
The parties are now permitted to file objections to the Court's decision.  Once those are resolved, the Court will conduct a hearing on sanctions to be imposed.  The Philadelphia Inquirer's coverage of the decision can be found here.