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Legal Ethics

Ordered off bench by state's top court, judge declares a 5-minute recess and exits

A Florida judge was on the bench hearing court business Thursday morning when news came of a state supreme court ruling in the legal ethics case she has been facing.

It ordered the removal of Leon County Judge Judith Hawkins from her judicial office, according to the Associated Press and the Tallahassee Democrat.

Hawkins called a five-minute recess and left, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Within minutes, County Judge Ronald Flury, wearing his robe, arrived in the courtroom and assumed the bench. “Y’all want to tell me what’s going on?” he said to approximately one dozen people who were in the court waiting for their cases to be called.

The Judicial Qualifications Commission had sought a $17,000 fine and a 90-day suspension, without pay, finding that Hawkins used her position as a judge to promote her Gaza Road Ministries and sell related religious products on a website that featured Hawkins wearing her robe. Hawkins also sold her ministry products to lawyers and others at the courthouse, the JQC said.

The Florida Supreme Court said that removal was required instead, due to what it called dishonest and deceitful conduct by Hawkins during her disciplinary case.

Its order will not be final until an appeal period has expired.

Hawkins declined the Tallahassee Democrat’s request for comment.

Related coverage:

ABAJournal.com: “Judge admits selling religious material at courthouse, but says it didn’t distract her from work”