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It's hard to have faith in a system that allows judges like Florida Judge Richard Albritton Jr. of the 14th Circuit to remain on the bench.
With individuals like Albritton pounding the gavel in his black robe, rendering decisions affecting life and liberty, the public has a hard time believing that there's integrity and justice in the courtroom, that decisions are being made by a fair and impartial judge.
Albritton, 58, of Panama City, obviously believes that he's above the law---and the majority of the Florida Supreme Court essentially agreed, relegating him to sit in the corner for 30 days for his bigoted, denigrating, racial and sexist remarks and attitudes.
Richard Albritton admitted to 14 ethics violations, violations so egregious that after one hears about them it's hard to believe that this individual will be allowed by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission and Florida Supreme Court to remain on the bench because the brand of justice he dispenses is contrary to common decency.
But he will. He's received an unpaid 30-day suspension, a $5,000 fine, must pay $1,203.70 in costs and has been scolded by the Florida Supreme Court.
The so-called oversight system of judges in Florida, as well as in many states, has been and is a farce. In looking at the docket of disciplinary cases currently open by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, one would think that the judges in Florida are among the most ethical in the entire country. The docket of pending JQC cases against Florida judges shows only six cases open and of those, four of them----Brandt Downey, Gregory Holder, John Renke III and now Richard Albritton Jr., have been disciplined. So is the public to believe that only two judges in the entire state have violated the code of judicial conduct. Do Florida officials really believe that the people are that gullible?
Albritton was charged with 36 violations of the state's judicial code last May. He admitted to 14 violations including unconstitutionally setting a probation condition that the defendant must attend church and telling one young woman that she needed to close her legs and stop having babies. He told one staff lawyer conducting an investigation of the allegations against him that he knew ordering the defendant to go to church was unconstitutional but that the defendant didn't.
Other allegations against him include sending a young mother to jail because she couldn't remember her address and telling Jennifer D. Wells, court administrator, in a phone call that he didn't want to work with her and didn't want her to do anything associated with him or his office. He also told her that if necessary, he would enter an order barring her from his office and finding her in contempt if she disobeyed the order. He told her that she shouldn't go to Chief Judge Judy Pittman and tell her about his call and that if she did, she didn't want to know what he would do. For that, it seems that Albritton should have been criminally charged.
http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/pub_info/summaries/briefs/05/05-851/Filed_09-07-2006_Opinion.pdf
But it wasn't an unanimous decision by the Florida Supreme Court. Two of the justices, Harry Lee Anstead and former Chief Judge Barbara Pariente concurred that there was a question whether Albritton was fit to remain on the bench and they voted that there should be further proceedings.
Albritton apparently believes that he's so far above the law that he isn't accountable to anyone, apparently believes that he doesn't have to answer questions about his actions. When he was first charged with his pattern of improper conduct, he denied all 36 allegations and then he repeatedly fought attempts to be questioned under oath. Some judge he is and this person is sitting in judgment of others---the typical mindset of do as I say, not as I do. He acted so contrary to judicial administration that the special counsel for the Judicial Qualifications Commission wrote that "Judge Albritton's tactics….are becoming increasingly clear---to zealously engage in (personal) attacks against those the JQC has listed as witnesses against him, rather than defend his judicial conduct". In other words, he refused to accept responsibility for his own actions and instead tried to blame everyone else. That tactic seems to be a standard play in the game book for judges---attempt to discredit anyone and everyone who files a complaint against you, even if you have to lie to do it and your fellow lawyers and judges will cover for you.
It comes as no surprise that Albritton filed for re-election with his overload of arrogance. However, what is disturbing that no one filed to oppose him and that he will be re-elected without opposition. This individual should be permanently removed from office and prohibited from serving in ANY public office.
Albritton repeatedly thumbed his nose at not only the law but common decency. On many occasions, it's said that those appearing before the bench don't respect those sitting on the bench. Judges have to earn the respect of those who come before them. Individuals like Albrittion are the reason that more and more people nationwide are disgusted with the system and looking for meaningful change.
If there were a contest in Florida for the king of judicial tyranny, it would be close race between Sixth Circuit Court Judge George Greer and Albritton. However, as egregious as the misconduct of Albritton, he didn't sanction the judicial homicide of an innocent disabled woman. 9-20-06
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© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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