ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County judge won’t face a public reprimand after the Florida Supreme Court decided not to punish him for court comments and treatment of two public defenders.
On Thursday, the court unanimously overturned the Judicial Qualifications Commission’s (JQC) recommendation for Judge John Jordan III to receive a public reprimand. The court did not provide a reason for its decision and instead returned the case to the JQC for additional review.
The case involves two incidents from 2025.
In one case, Jordan was handling a battery case involving a 33-year-old Black woman. While talking with the woman’s great-uncle about possible community service, the judge asked if the family owned farmland where she could work. He then asked if the man had ever “chopped cotton,” explaining it as using a hoe to pull weeds and saying that kind of work would “straighten you up real quick.”
The comments later became part of a judicial misconduct complaint.
The second incident happened during jury selection in another case. According to disciplinary records, Jordan repeatedly told two public defenders to “shut up” after they complained he was rushing the process.
When attorneys asked for a mistrial because of his behavior, Jordan first denied the request but later declared a mistrial himself and said another judge would take over the case.
The Judicial Qualifications Commission said Jordan’s actions violated Florida’s rules requiring judges to act professionally and treat everyone in the courtroom with respect.
The commission also noted that Jordan had never been disciplined before, admitted his behavior was wrong, expressed remorse, and agreed to accept a public reprimand.
Jordan has served on Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit Court since 2011 after being appointed by former Gov. Rick Scott. Before that, he served as an Orange County judge beginning in 2005. He was reelected without opposition in both 2014 and 2020.
The disciplinary case will now return to the Judicial Qualifications Commission for further action.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
