Legal Ethics
Reprimand for Fla. Appeals Judge Who Criticized Colleague in Opinion
Posted Dec 18, 2008, 01:52 pm CST
By Martha Neil
A Florida appeals judge who criticized a colleague in a written opinion is to be called before the state supreme court for a public dressing-down.
"Judge Michael E. Allen will be publicly reprimanded for his scathing published opinion that said a fellow 1st District Court of Appeal Judge cast a corrupt vote in a case," reports the News-Press.
The decision today by the Florida Supreme Court accepts a recommendation by the Judicial Qualifications Commission that Allen be disciplined in this manner for violating legal ethics rules with the personal attack and thus harming the court's reputation for integrity.
As discussed in earlier ABAJournal.com posts, Allen's critique was based on unverified facts outside the record in the case, as well as personal animosity, the court found.
Earlier ABAJournal.com coverage:
Fla. S.C. Considers Discipline for Appeals Judge’s Opinion
Public Reprimand Recommended for Fla. Appeals Court Judge
Fla. Appeals Judge Faces New Charges Over Critique of Fellow Jurist in Opinion