On Monday, September 22, 2025, Florida Politics reported that the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) dismissed misconduct charges against Gary Farmer, a former Broward Circuit Judge. This action concludes a year-long period of scrutiny for Farmer, although he has already left his position on the bench.
The JQC’s General Counsel, Alexander Williams, informed the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday that the commission was voluntarily ending its case. The decision to close the case stems from Farmer’s resignation on August 15, 2025, and his commitment not to seek judicial office or senior Judge status in the future. This development brings an end to one of the most closely watched judicial discipline cases in Florida in recent years.
Gary Farmer, who previously served as a Senate Democratic Leader and was elected to the Broward bench in 2022, became the subject of a JQC inquiry in 2024 following complaints about his conduct and comments made from the bench. In late September 2024, he was reassigned from the criminal division to the county’s civil court.
In April, the JQC’s Investigative Panel deemed Farmer “unfit to serve,” citing sexually charged remarks, flippant behavior in criminal cases, and repeated failures to adhere to basic legal standards. The accusations included multiple instances of Farmer making sexually themed jokes in open court, such as warning a defendant against impregnating his lawyer, referencing ejaculate, and reciting homoerotic wordplay from a TV sketch. He was also accused of prejudging cases, inappropriately dismissing a criminal prosecution, and conducting a makeshift competency evaluation without following proper procedures. Additionally, his attendance record was scrutinized, with the JQC alleging numerous unexplained absences in 2023 and 2024.
In May, Farmer requested a trial to address the accusations and sought to remain on the bench during the proceedings. His legal team contended that the charges were exaggerated and that his comments were mischaracterized or taken out of context. However, the Florida Supreme Court suspended him without pay while the case was ongoing.
The JQC was preparing for a final hearing when Farmer abruptly resigned, submitting his resignation letter to Chief Administrative Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips, effectively ending his judicial career.
The JQC had previously stated that “Through his extensive misconduct, occurring over a lengthy period of time, Judge Farmer has damaged the public’s perception of the judiciary.”
Farmer acknowledged making crude comments but characterized them as “dad jokes” intended to lighten tense proceedings. His legal team argued that the complaints primarily came from prosecutors rather than defense attorneys or litigants.
Farmer’s career has been marked by controversy. He served in the Senate from 2016 to 2022 and briefly led his party in the upper chamber before being voted out of the position in 2021. He faced criticism for suggesting that his successor, Lauren Book, was unfit for leadership because she had young children, for which he later apologized.
The JQC’s dismissal of charges is a result of Farmer’s permanent departure from judicial office, rather than a determination on the merits of the case. He is now prohibited from returning to the bench, either as an elected Judge or as a senior Judge filling temporary assignments.
The Florida Supreme Court is anticipated to officially close the matter.
Source: Florida Politics
