Judges are not immune when they operate outside lawful jurisdiction, conspire under color of law, or engage in commercial enforcement without consent. Under the Clearfield Doctrine, they become corporate actors subject to liability like any private party. 42 U.S.C. § 1983 enables civil rights lawsuits against them individually, while 18 U.S.C. §§ 241–242 provides for criminal penalties for conspiracy and deprivation of rights. Through tort law, UCC, and case law like Rankin v. Howard, 633 F.2d 844 (9th Cir. 1980), and Pulliam v. Allen, 466 U.S. 522 (1984), judges can face personal and injunctive accountability.
On April 2, 2025, the Plaintiffs in Kevin Walker Estate, et al. v. Jay Promisco, et al., Case No. 5:25-cv-00339-JGB, formally filed a Verified Notice of Appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This filing is not just a procedural formality—it outlines a detailed and extensive challenge to what Plaintiffs describe as gross procedural errors, record tampering, suppression of filings, and constitutional violations by both court officers and defendants.