On Monday, October 14, 2024, the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded Judge R. Steven Randolph for ethical violations related to a case involving restitution payments. The reprimand arose from an incident in which Judge Randolph accepted a guilty plea from a defendant who had struck his car and subsequently ordered the defendant to pay him directly for the damages.

The case began when the defendant, who was charged with driving without a license, collided with Judge Randolph’s vehicle. Notably, the defendant was not charged in connection with the accident itself. On March 25, Judge Randolph proposed that if the defendant pled guilty to the driving charge, he would pay $590.19 directly to the judge, which represented the estimated cost to repair the vehicle. The judge allowed the defendant to make payments for the restitution.

Complicating matters, the defendant required a translator due to limited English proficiency and did not have legal representation when he entered the guilty plea. However, on April 1, Judge Randolph retracted the guilty plea, and another judge dismissed the case entirely. Consequently, Judge Randolph did not receive the restitution payment he had ordered.

In his defense, Judge Randolph claimed that the defendant was made aware of the potential conflict of interest in the situation and that the defendant voluntarily waived the disqualification. He characterized the amount of restitution as “minuscule” and argued that any violation on his part was merely technical rather than substantive. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that he should not have presided over the case.

The reprimand was issued with the hope that it would enhance awareness of ethical responsibilities among judges. The investigative panel emphasized that neglecting these responsibilities not only tarnishes the reputation of the individual judge but also undermines public trust in the judicial system.

Judge Randolph‘s courtroom is located at 421 E. Spring St. Room 1C07, Cookeville, TN 38501, and can be reached at 9315285541.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.