On Friday, November 1, 2024, WTRF reported that a West Virginia family court judge had been publicly reprimanded by the state Judicial Investigation Commission (JIC) for social media posts that violated the Code of Judicial Conduct. The commission found probable cause in a 6-1 vote against Wood County Judge C. Darren Tallman, stemming from two complaints filed against him.
The first complaint was submitted by Mark Goudy, which highlighted a controversial photo of Tallman wearing a Bane mask while dressed in judicial robes. The image, used as his Google profile photo, was reportedly intended as a joke for his sons during the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage mask-wearing. Tallman claimed he was not deeply familiar with the character of Bane, a villain from DC Comics known for defeating Batman. After receiving the complaint, Tallman removed the photo and acknowledged that it could misrepresent the role of judges.
The second complaint originated from the Judicial Disciplinary Counsel and focused on several posts made by Tallman on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). One post involved an apparent endorsement of former President Donald Trump and criticism of President Joe Biden during the presidential election. Although Tallman admitted to supporting Trump, he contended that his post did not constitute an endorsement, while also recognizing that it breached judicial conduct guidelines.
Additional posts cited in the complaint included comments on gender identity, where Tallman stated, “There are only 2 genders,” and described such discussions as “demonic.” He also shared a meme suggesting a mock competition between two women to determine a political outcome, which he later conceded was inappropriate. Another post he made regarding the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade, which he captioned as “this is great!” was similarly deemed unsuitable.
Further scrutiny revealed Tallman’s posts on marriage and divorce, including comments expressing disappointment over a high-profile conservative’s divorce and remarks that emphasized the importance of marriage as a means to bond fathers with their children. Despite these statements, Tallman maintained that he is capable of serving as a fair and impartial judge.
The JIC concluded that while formal discipline was not necessary, Tallman’s admission of error and his commitment to avoid such conduct in the future were factors in their ruling. The commission emphasized that judges are allowed to use social media but must adhere to a higher standard than the general public due to the ethical restrictions placed upon them by the Code of Judicial Conduct. Judges are urged to exercise caution when engaging in online discourse to maintain the integrity of the judiciary.
Source: WTRF
