Judge Suspended for Inappropriate, Joking Comments

Legal Ethics

Judge Suspended for Inappropriate, Joking Comments

Posted May 14, 2008, 06:51 am CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss

Maryland’s highest court has suspended a judge for 30 days because of his vulgar language and inappropriate, joking remarks in the courtroom.

The suspension of Judge Bruce Lamdin of Baltimore County is the harshest punishment given to a Maryland judge in more than two decades, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Lamdin described himself as a "merciless SOB," joked about circuit court judges drinking cocktails rather than working in the afternoon, and described one defendant as "one of the biggest dumb asses I’ve ever seen," the opinion said.

Gary Kolb, a lawyer who is executive secretary of the Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities, told the Sun the decision is “a wake-up call for judges on how they should act."

The opinion (PDF) by the Maryland Court of Appeals included the remarks that landed the judge in trouble. They included:

• To a defendant who was asked to wait outside in the hallway with her baby: “I got in trouble because I told some lady we confiscate cell phones and we put the cell phones in plastic bags and send them down to Annapolis. I suggested maybe we ought to do the same thing with children except poke holes in the bag.”

• To a defendant accused of speeding: “What’s the big rush to get back to Pennsylvania? It’s an ugly state.”

• To a defendant who requested mercy: “I don’t have any mercy. You haven’t heard about me? I am a merciless SOB.”

• To a lawyer whose client was sent to the lockup for a bad attitude: “Did he get his head out of where he had it inserted earlier today, Mr. Chase?”

• To a defendant accused of driving on a suspended license: “Well Mr. Jones, the hits keep coming. I mean, if there is a pile of shit there you’ll step in it. … So am I doing the taxpayers justice by locking this stupid ass up for additional time or am I just punishing the taxpayers? But is he one of the biggest dumb asses I’ve ever seen? Absolutely.”

• Commenting on a defendant who had not been brought down from the circuit court: “I mean, they don’t work in the afternoon up there. Why is she still up there? … They’re all on their way to have cocktails or something up there at the circuit court. Yeah, they don’t work in the afternoon.”

• Commenting to a mother who wanted her son in a drug court program: “I am not one of those touchy feely judges that goes for programs where everyone holds hands and sings kum ba ah and then they hand out lollipops to each other and gift certificates. … I think jail has a telling effect on some people … especially if they are young and dumb like your son.”

Lamdin had admitted his comments were “over the line” but said they were not mean-spirited, the newspaper article says. "In an attempt to reach criminal defendants with my comments, I talked in language I knew they understood," he wrote in a letter to the commission.

The Legal Professsion Blog also wrote about the opinion.

Comments

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Posted by LoyolaGuy - 1 month, 3 weeks, 2 days, 1 hour, 51 minutes ago

I guarantee the only reason he was suspended was because some Circuit Court judge got all upset about the comment he made particular to them. I’ve seen and heard *many* judges say much worse things than this to defendants and they are revered for their “tough love”. Give me a break. More importantly, give Bruce Lamdin a break.
Posted by associate - 1 month, 3 weeks, 1 day, 23 hours, 1 minute ago

I guess truth is not a defense to charges of “inappropriate comments”.

Having worked in family court (drug court, dependency abuse neglect, truancy, domestic violence, etc), I can say for certain that he still didn’t get down to the level of the defendants. Most still can’t comprehend that what they have done is wrong and/or illegal, even after you explain it in terms that they *should* be able to udnerstand like these.
Posted by Li Yuan - 1 month, 3 weeks, 4 hours, 30 minutes ago

Judge punish because judge act funny. Some judge think poop no stink. Maybe this judge poop stink, and other judge want to show his poop stink.
Posted by MV_Esq - 1 month, 3 weeks, 3 hours, 32 minutes ago

Man, those are some hilarious comments. Give this guy a break. No, give this guy a standup routine. These are the sorts of things that I’d like to say to my clients sometimes, but I’m just too nice. Can I hire him?
Posted by dts - 1 month, 3 weeks, 3 hours, 19 minutes ago

Take the judge--PLEASE!
Posted by Sickened - 1 month, 3 weeks, 2 hours, 40 minutes ago

This epitomizes why poor, predominantly people of race, believe the system is a joke. It’s not just broken, its systematic oppression. I think sending babies in bags was how the nazi’s handled there issues with undesirables as well, except maybe without the air holes! Way to go Judge! What a steward of justice you represent!
Posted by Midwest - 1 month, 3 weeks, 2 hours, 28 minutes ago

I have also heard worse. But that doesn’t make it right. The power that comes with a position on the bench should be respected, not abused. I am tired of judges talking down to everyone below them as if the people appearing before them are merely subjects in their kingdom. And no one can ever write them up or call them out for fear of the next time they may be called upon to appear in front of them again. Let this be a message to all the other judges out there, we attorneys and our clients are tired of the abuse of your position. Please stop!
Posted by JR - 1 month, 3 weeks, 2 hours, 24 minutes ago

Like all bullies, Judge Lamdin cowered when the Court of Appeals called him into account. Bullying does not belong on the bench. Let’s hope the suspension helps put a stop to such abuse.
Posted by DM - 1 month, 3 weeks, 2 hours, 4 minutes ago

I don’t think the Judge’s comments and reasons for the comments are that off base meriting a suspension. Maybe (and that’s a really big maybe) a warning was merited (and not even a public one as suggessted by the commission deciding his fate). Further, such a warning might have been appropriate with regard to what he said about putting babies in bags and poking holes in the bags, but that is the one comment he agreed was inappropriate and moreover, his statement in another case about what to do with the defendant so as not to make the defendant’s children suffer any more than defendant has already made them suffer evidences that this judge does not, in fact, hate children or wish them harm. Quite the contrary, he surely seems to be concerned about the innocent children and the innocent people who are victims of the defendants in his court. I think the judge is right, some people need to hear language they can understand. Don’t most people complain about lawyers speaking like lawyers? Also, look at the stats about Hillary Clinton leading in the less educated crowd and it has been attributed to her simplifying her language. I think the commission’s decision reflects the public attitude that somehow the dirty problems in our society (drugs, prostitution, etc.) can be dealt with nice and neat. I’m curious about who brought the charges against the judge. Maybe one of those circuit court judges who probably aren’t working in the afternoon for whatever reason (and who cares about the cocktail comment, the problem, dear judges, is that you are not working). Shame on the commission sitting in their nice and tidy offices in an ivory tower taking issue with the judge who is trying to fix the problems of our society. If they want to take over the job of Miss Manners, then maybe that’s what they should do and leave the judge to his worthwhile work. Finally, Mr. “Sickened” who posted above, where in the decision (read the decision please) does it reference the racial demographic of the defendants in Judge Lamdin’s court? Interesting, are you just assuming his defendants are of a certain race?
Posted by Sickened - 1 month, 3 weeks, 2 hours ago

Welcome to Balitmore County DM........
Posted by Charm City Local - 1 month, 3 weeks, 1 hour, 38 minutes ago

Sickened,

I think you may have Baltimore County confused with Baltimore City.
Posted by ahem - 1 month, 3 weeks, 1 hour, 32 minutes ago

I cannot resist. DM, on the whole, I agree with your points regarding the judge; however, as to your reference to “Mr. ‘Sickened’ who posted above,” where in Sickened’s post does it reference the gender demographic of which Sickened is a member? Interesting; are you just assuming Sickened is of a certain gender?
Posted by DM - 1 month, 3 weeks, 1 hour, 12 minutes ago

Dear “Ahem” - Nice catch! Actually, if you can believe it, I didn’t assume any gender. Though only 35, I still revert to the use of the male (for ease of reference) when something/someone is unknown. I even still use terms like mailman rather than postal carrier! But again, good catch.
Posted by MRP - 1 month, 3 weeks, 1 hour ago

#6 ... “predominantly people of race"… Aren’t we all “people of [some] race?”
Posted by annoyed with commenters - 1 month, 3 weeks, 17 minutes ago

i love the level of stupidity to which the comments have sunk...f*ck the article, let’s argue semantics!

as far as the article, I agree with Midwest- being in a position of power and prestige SHOULD require a certain level of PROFESSIONALISM, and calling defendants dumbasses with their heads up their butts is not professional, it’s the language and attitude of a middle-school student.
Posted by Michael Cherskov - 1 month, 3 weeks, 9 minutes ago

The problem with Baltimore County is that this judge has got some balls.

It’s too bad that the more the system tries to help some defendants, the more the defendants vilify the system, their own PDs, and the judges.

This is a loss to the county.
Posted by david s mortensen - 1 month, 2 weeks, 6 days, 23 hours, 40 minutes ago

from DSM Esq--
Oh for heaven’s sake! C’mon, people. The judge’s comments are entirely inappropriate for his position. What kind of cynicism is fueling this clamor in defense of this unworthy judicial officer. His crass behavior demeans not only those to whom he refers but his office and the legal system. His churlish comments represents a blot on the judicial system. Surely there are tons of talented, principled ,mature lawyers out there who could do a better job. .
Posted by Bill - 1 month, 2 weeks, 6 days, 22 hours, 41 minutes ago

I don’t get what the hubbub is - I mean, he did say to poke a hole in the plastic bag for the kid.
Posted by DS - 1 month, 2 weeks, 6 days, 22 hours, 15 minutes ago

To MRP, #14:

Are we all “people of [some] race”, really? And if so, which one?
Is our race something that can be objectively determined for us by authorities or other third parties, or is it a choice we can make ourselves, or choose not to make? If we don’t have a choice not to choose, is there an exhaustive list from which we can pick one, and must our choice be respected?
Posted by JMR - 1 month, 2 weeks, 4 days, 13 hours, 26 minutes ago

He only got 30-day suspension? I say he should’ve been permanently removed from the bench and the bar (yes, including his ability to practice law) AND 30 days in jail so he can really learn the price of his words.
Posted by associate - 1 month, 2 weeks, 3 days, 23 hours, 22 minutes ago

JMR, I find your venomous response offensive. You should be permamanently removed from the bench, the bar, and receive 30 days in jail so that you can really learn the price of your words.

signed,
George Orwell

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