Mecklenburg magistrate removed from office following misconduct charges

A Mecklenburg County magistrate has been removed from office following misconduct charges that sparked judge training protocols to be revised.

Mecklenburg County Superior Court Judge Peter Knight ordered Robin Sabio to be removed from the magistrate’s office on April 29, nearly two months after then-Chief District Court Judge Elizabeth Trosch suspended her on March 8.

Trosch alleged that Sabio lost more than $2,000 in bond money, ditched required training classes and failed to demonstrate a “minimum level of competence.” New court documents reveal that errors in involuntary commitment paperwork led to at least one failed commitment process.

While Sabio was on suspension for seven weeks, court officials made training changes. Chief Magistrate Wanda Moore — who helps Trosch oversee all Mecklenburg County magistrates — developed a new training protocol for magistrates in Mecklenburg County. Moore could not be reached for comment.

According to an order for removal, Sabio began skipping shifts and ignoring disciplinary meeting requests after her office noticed the missing money, which was eventually returned and delivered to Cabarrus County. Sabio told others she was on medical leave following surgeries for several weeklong absences. But such time off was never approved, Trosch argued to Knight during a hearing April 17 on the allegations.

Sabio claimed asthma attacks caused her to be late for some shifts and meetings, though she did not submit any documentation of the condition, according to court documents.

Sabio declined to comment on her removal during a brief phone call with The Charlotte Observer.

How magistrate judges are hired

Magistrate judges represent about 10% of the judicial branch workforce and are often the first judge people interact with following an arrest. Other than processing involuntary commitment requests — which bring people believed to be of danger to themselves into custody to be evaluated by a physician — magistrates also accept guilty pleas, issue arrest and search warrants, oversee first appearances, set release conditions and issue temporary domestic violence protection orders.

Magistrates are interviewed by the clerk of courts, chief District Court judge and chief magistrate before nominations are submitted to the senior resident Superior Court judge for appointment, according to Brittany Foster, the public information officer for Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Elisa Chinn-Gary.

Once Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Carla Archie appointed Sabio, it became Trosch’s responsibility to oversee her performance, and Moore oversaw her day-to-day performance, according to court documents.

After giving Sabio two days to voluntarily resign, Trosch filed her complaint, according to records.

“There have been persistent and recurring errors in the Civil and Criminal processes completed by Magistrate Sabio,” Trosch wrote.