The Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission charges the Honorable James T. Patterson – judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Alabama – with abuse of judicial authority and inappropriate demeanor.
The filing in the Alabama Court of the Judiciary is entitled ‘Complaint,’ filed on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, in a case styled as The Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission v. Judge Patterson. The case number is #62.
The allegations include violations of the Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics, including Canon 1, Canon 2A8, Canon 2B, Canon 3A(2), Canon 3A(3), Canon 3A(1), and Canon 3A(4).
These ethics rules generally require:
A judge should uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary.
A judge should participate in… maintaining…and should himself observe high standards of conduct so that the integrity and independence of the judiciary may be preserved.
A judge should conduct himself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.
A judge should at all times maintain the decorum and temperance befitting the office and should avoid conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice which brings the judicial office into disrepute.
A judge should maintain order and decorum in proceedings before him. A judge should be patient, dignified, and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and others with whom he deals in his official capacity.
A judge should respect and comply with the law and should conduct himself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.
A judge should at all times maintain the decorum and temperance befitting the office and should avoid conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice which brings the judicial office into disrepute.
A judge should be faithful to the law and maintain professional competence in it.
A judge should accord to every person who is legally interested in a proceeding, full right to be heard according to law.
The judicial canons can be found here https://judicial.alabama.gov/library/rulescanons .
The complaint states:
“Judge Patterson violated the following provisions of the Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics by making denigrating comments about the Governor of the State and the presiding judge of the circuit, using cuss words and/or profanity, and making otherwise highly inappropriate comments.”
The filing continues:
“Judge Patterson violated the following provisions of the Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics by declaring acts and statutes regarding court fees unconstitutional and issuing an order redirecting court funds to address budgetary concerns, thereby denying the full right to be heard belonging to every person legally interested in a proceeding.”
The Judge earned a law degree from Cumberland School of Law in 2000.
The Judge is in Courtroom 6300, 205 Government Street in Mobile, and can be reached at (251) 574-8474 https://mobile.alacourt.gov/judges/james-patterson/.
Please contact AbusiveDiscretion for access to a copy of this filing
Full story here.
