Latest news with #JudicialQualificationsCommission
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Broward Judge Mardi Levey Cohen receives public reprimand, 10-day suspension
The Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday publicly reprimanded Broward County Judge Mardi Levey Cohen after an investigation into allegations that she acted improperly during a 2022 re-election campaign. Levey Cohen, who also received a 10-day suspension, appeared before justices for the reprimand. The Supreme Court last month approved an agreement, known as a stipulation, reached by Levey Cohen and the state Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigates judicial conduct. A filing at the Supreme Court said Levey Cohen was accused, in part, of forwarding an email about her election opponent to a representative of the Wynmoor Condominium Democratic Club 'without verifying the accuracy of the claims.' The information, for example, included an accusation that Levey Cohen's opponent obtained money from the federal Paycheck Protection Program during the COVID-19 pandemic when she did not qualify. Also, a May 8 Supreme Court order said Levey Cohen filed an Internal Revenue Service complaint challenging the tax-exempt status of a church where her opponent campaigned. The order said Levey Cohen sent a copy of the complaint to the church with a false return address, 'suggesting that the correspondence was from the IRS itself.' Chief Justice Carlos Muniz said during Tuesday's reprimand that misconduct poses a risk to public confidence in the judiciary. 'Any unethical behavior by a judge — including in a campaign setting — puts that trust at risk,' Muniz said.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Judge suspended for making ‘G-rated dad jokes' about defendants. He claims he was ‘trying to lighten the tension'
A judge in Florida was suspended for telling "inappropriate, undignified, or discourteous" jokes to help "lighten the tension" in the courtroom. The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission has indefinitely suspended Broward Circuit Judge Gary Farmer Jr for making jokes during his hearings, according to Law & Crime. Many of the comments reportedly occurred during felony criminal hearings last August. During one case, a defendant had reportedly impregnated three women all within nine months of each other. 'OK, you've been busy,' Farmer said during the session. 'You were just shooting all over the place! That's good, do you know their names? First and last? Romantic are you? Don't tell Susie about Jane, don't tell Jane about Mary. God bless you, man. One's enough.' Later he joked about ordering the man to wear a condom. 'I'm going to order that you wear a condom at all times. For your own good. OK? Probation is going to check. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding," Farmer said. When the defendant's appointed defender turned out to be a woman, the judge told the man "don't get her pregnant." During another case, a defendant was named Georgia, and Farmer began singing a song about "sweet Georgia" and making jokes about peaches. 'You're supposed to say 'peachy.' How you doin', Georgia? Peachy!' Farmer said. Though it's unclear why, Farmer also reportedly "quoted extensively" from a sketch performed by Marlon Wayans on "In Living Color," according to the commission. Farmer knew his jokes weren't landing, admitting at one point during a trial that he was telling 'exceptionally, exceptionally bad jokes.' But he appears to have persisted. During a bond hearing, a defense attorney representing a suspect facing first-degree kidnapping charges joked with the judge about the nature of the kidnapping. 'I gotta tell you judge, in the history of kidnappings, this would be the first time someone gets kidnapped and taken to a strip club," the defense attorney said. Farmer replied: 'I was about to say, I think there's a long list of husbands who have claimed exactly that in the past. We've all been taken against our will.' The judge responded to the allegations that his jokes were "inappropriate" and "undignified" by insisting they were meant to be helpful, not harmful. 'These jokes were said to lighten tension, reduce stress for criminal defendants, and show a sense of humanity,' Farmer said. 'They generally are G-rated 'Dad jokes' that are corny but not offensive, and were not degrading to the solemnity of the proceedings.' Farmer previously served in the Florida State Legislature as a Democrat. It's unclear when or if he'll return to the bench.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Broward Judge Gary Farmer suspended without pay over off-color statements
A Broward judge with a penchant for off-color humor and tough-talking discipline will be suspended without pay until further notice as the Florida Supreme Court decides whether to permanently remove him from the bench. The suspension of Broward Circuit Judge Gary Farmer takes effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday, by order of the Florida Supreme Court. The action came just a few days after Farmer, through attorney Michael Dutko, argued that he should not be suspended without pay because the allegations of misconduct against him did not include any allegation that Broward residents were 'victimized by any illegal, dishonest, or immoral conduct.' What he did do, by his own admission, was make statements from the bench that called into question how seriously he was taking his job as an overseer in the administration of justice. In one afternoon last summer, he was recorded telling one defendant to wear a condom while on probation, nearly using profanity while having another defendant removed from his courtroom, and repeating flamboyant gay stereotypes from the 1990s sketch comedy show 'In Living Color.' At the time, Farmer presided over third-degree felony cases, many of which resulted in little to no prison time for first-time offenders, depending on the severity of the case. According to Dutko, Farmer was trying to provide some degree of relief for those who found themselves appearing before him. Earlier this year, the Judicial Qualifications Commission, which is the state's watchdog for judicial misconduct, filed formal charges accusing Farmer of violating the rules governing judges' behavior on and off the bench. Farmer was elected to the bench in 2022 after serving in the Florida Legislature, where he rose to the position of minority leader until his fellow Democrats ousted him from the role in 2021. His suspension is the third ordered against a Broward judge this month. Last week, Circuit Judge Mardi Levey Cohen was ordered to serve a 10-day suspension for spreading unverified information about her opponent in the 2024 election, while Circuit Judge Stephanie Moon was suspended for 10 days after she admitted questioning a lawyer about her campaign from the bench. In the cases against Levey Cohen and Moon, the suspensions appear to signal the end of the disciplinary action they face. But the Florida Supreme Court made it clear that the case against Farmer was just getting started, and he will not be able to serve as a judge or as an attorney until it's resolved. Also last week, the JQC filed formal ethics charges against County Judge Lauren Peffer, who was accused of spreading false information during her campaign without vetting it for accuracy. Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@ or 954-356-4457. Follow him on
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Broward Judge Gary Farmer suspended without pay over off-color statements
A Broward judge with a penchant for off-color humor and tough-talking discipline will be suspended without pay until further notice as the Florida Supreme Court decides whether to permanently remove him from the bench. The suspension of Broward Circuit Judge Gary Farmer takes effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday, by order of the Florida Supreme Court. The action came just a few days after Farmer, through attorney Michael Dutko, argued that he should not be suspended without pay because the allegations of misconduct against him did not include any allegation that Broward residents were 'victimized by any illegal, dishonest, or immoral conduct.' What he did do, by his own admission, was make statements from the bench that called into question how seriously he was taking his job as an overseer in the administration of justice. In one afternoon last summer, he was recorded telling one defendant to wear a condom while on probation, nearly using profanity while having another defendant removed from his courtroom, and repeating flamboyant gay stereotypes from the 1990s sketch comedy show 'In Living Color.' At the time, Farmer presided over third-degree felony cases, many of which resulted in little to no prison time for first-time offenders, depending on the severity of the case. According to Dutko, Farmer was trying to provide some degree of relief for those who found themselves appearing before him. Earlier this year, the Judicial Qualifications Commission, which is the state's watchdog for judicial misconduct, filed formal charges accusing Farmer of violating the rules governing judges' behavior on and off the bench. Farmer was elected to the bench in 2022 after serving in the Florida Legislature, where he rose to the position of minority leader until his fellow Democrats ousted him from the role in 2021. His suspension is the third ordered against a Broward judge this month. Last week, Circuit Judge Mardi Levey Cohen was ordered to serve a 10-day suspension for spreading unverified information about her opponent in the 2024 election, while Circuit Judge Stephanie Moon was suspended for 10 days after she admitted questioning a lawyer about her campaign from the bench. In the cases against Levey Cohen and Moon, the suspensions appear to signal the end of the disciplinary action they face. But the Florida Supreme Court made it clear that the case against Farmer was just getting started, and he will not be able to serve as a judge or as an attorney until it's resolved. Also last week, the JQC filed formal ethics charges against County Judge Lauren Peffer, who was accused of spreading false information during her campaign without vetting it for accuracy. Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@ or 954-356-4457. Follow him on
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida Supreme Court calls for suspension of Circuit Judge
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday said a Broward County circuit judge deserves more-severe punishment than a reprimand and a fine recommended by a panel that investigates judicial conduct. The Supreme Court unanimously said Judge Stefanie Moon should receive a 10-day suspension without pay in a case that includes allegations she improperly made political contributions. The state Judicial Qualifications Commission last month recommended that Moon receive a public reprimand and pay a fine of $2,115, the amount of the political contributions. That recommendation came after the commission reached an agreement, known as a stipulation, with Moon. But the Supreme Court, which has final say on disciplining judges, rejected the recommendation Thursday and said it would 'approve a stipulation calling for discipline consisting of a 10-day suspension without pay, plus the public reprimand and fine already recommended by the commission.' The commission last month filed documents at the Supreme Court that alleged Moon violated judicial canons by making political contributions, including to committees backing former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, former President Joe Biden and ActBlue, a Democratic Party fundraising arm. In addition, Moon was accused of reminding an attorney in court that he had not returned a phone call related to her re-election campaign and improperly contacting the therapist of a man who was a party in a case and whose mental health was an issue. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
