Delaware Family Court Judge John Henriksen has been disciplined for pursuing "an inappropriately close social relationship" with a young female attorney…who regularly appeared in his Sussex County courtroom.
In addition, the state Court on the Judiciary says the 63 year old judge will also be leaving the bench in early November after he becomes fully vested in his state pension.
The Wilmington News Journalreports that State court officials have been investigating and considering Henriksen's case in secret since January 2011 when the attorney and Family Court Chief Judge Chandlee Johnson Kuhn filed complaints about his conduct.
Investigators found Henriksen had expressed "romantic feelings" toward the woman and continued to preside over her cases.
Henriksen has acknowledged he offered the attorney advice about preparing a legal memorandum in a case he was deciding.
The investigation said that Henriksen stopped hearing cases involving the attorney after Kuhn intervened.
