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Legal Ethics

Tenn. Judge Slapped for Harsh Treatment of Immigrant Juvies

Posted May 19, 2008, 11:30 am CDT
By Molly McDonough

Tennessee disciplinary authorities have censured a Tennessee judge for his conduct in cases involving children of illegal immigrants and children he thought might be in U.S. illegally.

Dickson County Juvenile Court Judge A. Andrew Jackson faced discipline over his handling of three hearings in 2007, the Tennessean reports.

In each case, Jackson repeatedly asked about the child's immigration status. The Court of Judiciary found that Jackson regularly determined that a child was dependent and neglected even though that issue wasn't before the court.

A Nashville civil rights lawyer who didn't represent any of the kids reportedly filed the complaint after colleagues sought out legal advice regarding the incidents.

"The judge would rule the juvenile was unruly if he found the parents to be disrespectful of the law," the lawyer, Jerry Gonzalez is quoted saying. "Under the statute, being unruly has nothing to do with the parents. They could be drug dealers and it doesn't mean you are."

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