Administrative judge is charged with assaulting colleague
An administrative law judge in Washington, D.C., has been charged with misdemeanor assault for an alleged attack on another judge she accused of barging into her office.
Judge Joan Davenport is accused of assaulting Judge Sharon Goodie on March 31, report the Washington Post, WJLA, WSUA and WTOP. Both are administrative law judges with the Washington, D.C., Office of Administrative Hearings. WTOP and WSUA report that Goodie is Davenport’s supervisor.
Davenport turned herself in at the police station on Tuesday after a warrant was issued for her arrest, according to WJLA and WUSA.
Goodie told police she twice knocked on Davenport’s door because she wanted to deliver case files, but she got no answer, according to an arrest affidavit cited by the Post. Goodie said the door opened and Davenport lunged at her. Goodie said she was able to evade the lunge, but Davenport struck her with her shoulder. Goodie says she landed in a squatting position against the hallway wall.
Davenport provided a written statement to police that said she was speaking to a witness in her office when she heard banging on her door. Davenport didn’t tell the person outside her office to enter. The banging continued, then Goodie “stomped in” with case files, Davenport said. Goodie threw down the case files, backed up and started to yell that she was being attacked, according to Davenport’s account.
