Judges or other court officials might accept bribes to exercise their influence over a case in a way that benefits the briber. ... Court officials also accept bribes to exercise their influence over cases.

What happens if a judge takes a bribe?

Penalties

Bribery of a Judicial Officer and Bribery by a Judicial Officer are felony-level offenses that can carry a prison sentence ranging from two to four years in a California detention facility.

Is accepting bribes illegal?

Bribery is considered to be a felony. This applies to both the bribe giver and the bribe receiver. If convicted of bribery, an individual most often has to complete a state prison sentence of at least one year. Commercial bribery cases are often classified as misdemeanors.