Judge Reprimanded for Suing Colleagues Over Jail Overcrowding
A judge who filed a lawsuit in an effort to change the pretrial release system will receive a reprimand from the Florida Supreme Court.
The action stems from a mandamus petition filed by Judge Clifford Barnes of St. Lucie County that sought to force judges to provide meaningful first appearance hearings to defendants, according to the National Law Journal. Barnes contended that defendants were not given counsel at these hearings, and inmates were forced to stay in jail as a result.
The opinion (PDF) upheld findings that Barnes created an appearance of impropriety and brought disrepute to the judiciary.
“I was too hopeful for a better outcome,” Barnes told the legal newspaper. He said the decision makes the point that “the courts are crowded enough with lawsuits not to have judges suing each other.”
