Longtime Ga. Court Official Allegedly Made Sex a Part of His Job

Legal Ethics

Longtime Ga. Court Official Allegedly Made Sex a Part of His Job

Posted Aug 18, 2008, 02:05 pm CST
By Martha Neil

Sex in a judge's chambers. Trysts at local hotels during business hours. Obscene phone calls.

Although these activities would seem unlikely to fall within the parameters of a court administrator's job, all allegedly occurred during the 23-year tenure of Howard "Skip" Chesshire at Cobb County Superior Court, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In a written report commissioned by the Georgia court, labor lawyer Mairen Kelly describes what she found in a five-month investigation that cost at least $50,000. It says that Chesshire, who is a former president of the National Association for Court Management, engaged in multiple sexual encounters with three young women he hired to work as interns for the court system, according to these women and other witnesses, the article states.

"Behavior that started with flirting, kisses and hugs graduated to groping, oral sex, encounters at a local hotel and displays of nude photos, including one Chesshire allegedly had on his cellphone, according to the women and other employees who were interviewed," the newspaper writes.

Workers reportedly didn't complain at the time because they were afraid of job repercussions. Judges for the court worked in a different part of the building, the report notes.

Chesshire, 54, resigned earlier this year after allegations of misconduct, and he declined to comment for the article.

The situation is a cautionary tale to other employers about the need for clear policies and training for all workers about how those policies can be enforced, writes court-o-rama.org.

Comments

Report Abuse

Posted by Honza Prchal - 3 months, 1 week, 3 days, 10 hours, 25 minutes ago

The following statemnt - The situation is a cautionary tale to other employers about the need for clear policies and training for all workers about how those policies can be enforced, writes court-o-rama.org. - seems cracked to me.

It presumes that these sorts of “situations” (formerly known as extorting sex, a/k/a rape) are caused by a lack of “clear policies” in the workplace.
Posted by R - 3 months, 1 week, 3 days, 7 hours, 54 minutes ago

I agree, Honza. What an unfortunate “situation.“ If only there’d been “clearer policies.“

Looking forward to the obligatory John Edwards-like quote from this boss/pig expressing “regret” that this “happened.“
Posted by Andy the Lawyer - 3 months, 1 week, 3 days, 7 hours, 45 minutes ago

Responding to #2—Feel free to substitute Newt Gingrich for John Edwards in your post.
Posted by Temi - 3 months, 1 week, 3 days, 7 hours, 25 minutes ago

It appears that I’m following R today on all my postings…and I have to agree w/ her or his comment completely! Well said…
Posted by Andy the Lawyer - 3 months, 1 week, 3 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes ago

Attention employers and voters—when the guy under the microscope is a middle-aged man who’s professionally known by a nickname like “Skip” that stopped being appropriate when he could legally drink, you can bet there are problems.
Posted by Willem DeDonis - 3 months, 1 week, 3 days, 1 hour, 21 minutes ago

This guy is unbelievable.. This is not part of any job description I’ve seen and I knew people who worked in the system. I heard people down south do things a bit differently but this is ridiculous.
Posted by Tony - 3 months, 1 week, 1 day, 20 hours, 57 minutes ago

There are more allegations of misconduct by Chesshire and other officials at www.justiceforwandaspann.com
Posted by Frank Costanza - 3 months, 4 days, 8 hours, 50 minutes ago

I wonder if they need someone to fill in for Skip, it sounds like a fairly laid back place to work.

Commenting has expired on this post.

ABA Journal - Law News Now

Legal Ethics