The Canadian Judicial Council will not discipline an Ontario Superior Court judge from Hamilton who was seen wearing a Donald Trump T-shirt while out shopping.

A letter in response to a complaint filed last year by a Dundas man was published to the council's website late last month.

The complainant wrote last June to protest the behaviour of Antonio Skarica, a Hamilton-area judge, after he was seen wearing a T-shirt in public promoting Trump's candidacy.

The complainant was "both shocked and appalled," according to the decision letter, to see the judge and former Tory MPP "clearly advocating for a man who is a serial liar, racist and demagogue."

The complainant alleged the T-shirt compromised the judge's ability to be seen as impartial as he rendered judgements.

A Hamilton judge who wore a hat bearing Donald Trump's slogan 'Make America Great Again' faces a disciplinary hearing on Aug. 23. (Jae C. Hong/Associated Press)

Another Hamilton-area judge who wore a "Make America Great Again" hat in court is no longer allowed to hear cases and his future on the bench remains unclear ahead of an Aug. 23 disciplinary hearing.

Wore the T-shirt 'without thinking too much about it'

The complaint against Skarica was referred to the chief justice of Nova Scotia, J. Michael MacDonald, who chairs the Judicial Conduct Committee.

Skarica told MacDonald that he didn't endorse Trump publicly or privately, hasn't contributed to his campaign, and doesn't know him.

"He writes that he is, however, a student of history and on occasion, [has] collected memorabilia items over the years that he considers to be turning points in history," the decision letter states.

Skarica's brother had visited Washington and brought him the T-shirt, which he told MacDonald he never intended to make a "standard part of his wardrobe." He'd simply put the shirt on to show a friend and later went out shopping "without thinking too much about it."

"He does not intent to wear the T-shirt in public in any meaningful way," the letter states. And he vehemently denies any suggestion he's racist.

'Account for his strange behaviour'

MacDonald said Skarica's comments satisfied him that he was not involved in the Trump campaign and that he has no intention of wearing the T-shirt or similar shirts in public again, and decided Skarica's impartiality was not put in question by the event.

Retired teacher and Dundas resident Lorne Warwick filed the complaint; he wrote several blog posts about the interaction and results.

"I am gratified that at least justice Skarica had to account for his strange behaviour, and I think it is safe to say he has learned a valuable lesson from my complaint," Warwick wrote.