TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — An Orange County judge will go before the Florida Supreme Court for a public reprimand after an investigation into conduct such as calling an assistant state attorney an “ass” while presiding over a criminal case, a Supreme Court order released Thursday said.
The order did not set a date for the reprimand of Judge Martha Adams, who also was accused of other improper comments about the State Attorney’s Office.
That included an allegation that she talked of making the life of a State Attorney’s Office employee “a shambles.” The Supreme Court approved an agreement, known as a stipulation, reached by Adams and the state Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigates judicial conduct. “Judge Adams’ comments are well outside the bounds of what is acceptable for members of our judiciary,” the Supreme Court order said.
“In many cases, adequate discipline for such behavior would require more than a public reprimand. The record shows, though, that Judge Adams had a clean disciplinary record throughout her 17 years of prior judicial service and that she had no other complaints of this nature. The commission also found that Judge Adams has expressed deep regret and apologized in writing to the individuals directly affected by her misconduct.” The order was approved in a 6-0 vote, with Justice Jamie Grosshans recused.
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