Navigation Judicial panel urges suspension of Florida judge over ‘undignified’ comments
A Florida circuit judge has been accused of making a series of jokes from the bench that have reflected poorly on the integrity of the judiciary and violated standards of judicial conduct.
The state’s Judicial Qualifications Commission said in a Notice of Formal Charges filed on April 10 that Judge Gary M. Farmer Jr. of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court made comments that impugned public confidence in the state’s judiciary. The commission’s counsel has asked Farmer to provide a response to the changes and explain why he should not be suspended without pay.
“It is alleged that while presiding over felony criminal division FO, of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court, you routinely made comments, jokes or remarks that are wholly inappropriate, undignified or discourteous, or otherwise behaved in a manner that is degrading to the solemnity of the proceedings, fails to uphold the high standard of conduct expected of judges and fails to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary,” the notice filed by Alexander Williams, the commission’s general counsel, states.
