No, You Can’t Use Judicial Funds For Booze And Nepotism

// In what must have been a very slow day for Las Vegas judicial accountability committee, a judge was accused of undermining the trust in the judiciary for typing out curse words on a personal instagram, posting a picture from a hot tub and telling a defendant that police can be dangerous. Almost as if he knew we’d need a reminder on what actual judicial misconduct looked like, Alabama judge Gilbert P. Self volunteered to teach us with his example. From ABA Journal:

The presiding judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Lauderdale County, Alabama, has been charged with lying to a grand jury and using public funds for personal purchases and his son’s employment.
…
Self is accused of spending public money for a couch; alcoholic beverages; eyeglasses and vacations, including skiing, cycling and beach trips. He is also accused of using public money for events that he didn’t attend in Reno, Nevada; Duck Key, Florida; and Mackinac Island, Michigan.

googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-top-300x250" ); });

Self has since made right on his self-described “honest but correctable mistakes” by repaying all of the money used to buy the hodgepodge of things he shouldn’t have. Remember, if you’re a judge in need of some liquidity, you can’t just borrow the money from the court. You have to accept it under the table for over 25 years, preside over cases you have a financial interest in or work out some sort of agreement where you jail children over a law that doesn’t exist. America isn’t some banana republic — we have rules here.

Sponsored Differentiating Your Solo Firm In A Crowded Marketplace Looking to grow your solo practice, explore new marketing channels, or find the most effective marketing techniques? This guide is for you. From THOMSON REUTERS AND ABOVE THE LAW  

Indictment Accuses Judge Of Using Public Funds To Employ His Son, Travel, Buy Couch And Alcohol [ABA Journal]

googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-middle-300x250" ); }); googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-storycontent-440x100" ); }); googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-in-story-youtube-1x1" ); });

Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by tweet at @WritesForRent.

googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-bottom-300x250" ); }); Sponsored Sponsored Differentiating Your Solo Firm In A Crowded Marketplace Looking to grow your solo practice, explore new marketing channels, or find the most effective marketing techniques? This guide is for you. From THOMSON REUTERS AND ABOVE THE LAW   Sponsored Ontra’s Insight, Powered By GPT-4, Simplifies Fund Management From Ethan Beberness   Sponsored Track Meet: If You’re Not Tracking Your Time, Then What Are You Doing? With continued tech improvements, it’s become easier than ever before. From Jared Corriea   Sponsored 3 Ways AI Can Help Draft Legal Documents Faster Finish polished legal docs in Word with Lexis® Create. The AI-powered add-on leverages authoritative LexisNexis® content to help legal professionals intelligently draft and populate verifiable… From LexisNexis   Sponsored Is Your In-House Team A Legal Tech Leader? Please take a minute to share your thoughts and help us benchmark your department. From Above The Law   Sponsored Is Your In-House Team A Legal Tech Leader? Please take a minute to share your thoughts and help us benchmark your department. From Above The Law   Topics

Judges Behaving Badly