SAN FRANCISCO — A Contra Costa County judge is facing significant discipline after a panel of special masters found he committed serious misconduct three times and sustained three other accusations against him.

Superior court Judge John Laettner, a former assistant U.S. Attorney, was found to have made inappropriate comments to women in the course of his job, and had an improper conversation with a prosecutor during a bail hearing. A California panel of special masters sustained three “willful misconduct” violations against him — the most serious type of misconduct — as well as three counts of prejudicial misconduct, the second-highest.

The sustained findings against Laettner included that he called a minor “pretty,” and referred to another defendant as a “pretty girl,” that he told a deputy public defender she wasn’t spanked enough as a kid, and that he referred to another deputy public defender as a “young, attractive Asian woman.” He was also found to have an ex parte conversation — a conversation without all parties present — in a hearing where he ultimately increased the defendant’s bail, leading to her arrest.

“It is critical that we hold judges accountable when they put themselves above the law or are out of step with our values. The findings clearly do that. They condemn Judge Laettner’s disrespectful and sexist treatment of female public defenders, representing low-income people of color,” said deputy public defender Rebecca Brackman, in a written statement responding to the findings.

The panel also wrote it didn’t have clear and convincing evidence to sustain three additional counts of misconduct against Laettner, including an allegation of inappropriately winking at a deputy public defender, and an allegation of offering 25 percent reductions in sanctions in exchange for guilty pleas.

Possible sanctions for willful misconduct include private and public admonishments, as well as the ultimate punishment: removal from the bench.

During his hearing, Laettner had pushed back against the allegations, saying the Contra Costa Public Defender’s office had it in for him. During a hearing earlier this year, several county prosecutors testified in support of him, whereas several deputy public defenders testified against him.

He acknowledged he had made some comments such as “you look pretty today” or “you look nice today,” but insisted they were courteous, “generic” compliments. He also acknowledged telling a court reporter in 2010 “Well, you are hot” when she asked whether he wanted other parties present in his chamber to discuss a matter, but said it was as part of a joke.

The panel comprised three California judges: Justice M. Kathleen Butz of the Third District state appeals court, Orange County Superior Court Judge Douglas Hatchimonji, and Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Russell Hom.

“Judge Laettner has been on the bench for over 10 years. Presumably during that time he received ethics and conduct training … and qualifying ethics courses, elective and mandatory, every three years. His misconduct occurred in this context,” the panel’s decision says.