Broward County Judge Claudia Robinson Is Toast! Ethics Panel Reopens Probe
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Just two weeks ago a judicial ethics panel recommended that Broward County Judge Claudia Robinson be suspended 30 days for handing mediation cases to her former campaign consultant.
Not so fast!
The Judicial Qualifications Commission, the group that enforces ethics rules for judges, this week filed a motion to stay the proceeding in the Robinson case while it relaunches the investigation of the judge.
Claudia Robinson
The JQC stated in the motion that “additional matters have come to the attention of the Investigative panel which require further proceedings before that body.”
Translation: Robinson is toast!
The JQC has the power to recommend everything from a slap on the wrist to fines, suspension or removal from the bench. The Florida Supreme Court either accepts or rejects the recommendations and the Supremes have been particular tough on Broward judges accused of wrongdoing in recent years.
The original case involved Robinson handing over 80 percent of her mediation cases to political consultant and lawyer Michael Ahearn – 245 out of 296 cases. He received from $250 to $300 per house with a one-hour minimum in the 174 cases he completed.
The appointments began almost immediately after Robinson took the bench after her 2014 election. Ahearn acted as a volunteer consultant and strategist to her campaign.
“By appointing Mr. Ahearn as the default mediator in over 80 percent of her mediation orders, Judge Robinson created the appearance that the appointments were, in effect, payback for Mr. Ahearn’s services to Judge Robinson’s campaign,” according to the JQC document that Robinson agreed to and signed last month.
The sentence the JQC recommended was a 30-day suspension without pay. It was contained in an agreement that Robinson signed.
Now that deal is off.
As often happens, the JQC has received more information about Robinson.
The JQC has no jurisdiction over Ahearn, but the Florida Bar does.
“The Florida Bar investigated these allegations against me, and dismissed the bar complaint because they found no inappropriate relationship between me and the judge,” Ahearn told the Daily Business Review. “The parties to the litigation always had the option to use someone other than me. They weren’t forced to use me.”
Robinson is assigned to hear misdemeanor and small civil cases in the South Regional Courthouse in Hollywood.
Stay tuned.
Michael Ahearn
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The motion to stay the proceedings in the Robinson case can be found linked here.
December 15th, 2017 at 1:36 pm
She should not take the heat all by herself.Ahearn had a hand in this as well.What i would argue if i was the prosecutor is you thought it was perfectly ok,the norm foe you to be assigned 80% of her mediation rulings.Come on.I stated before i would nail Ahearn as an assessory.She goes down,so should he Jack.
FROM BUDDY:
You seem to be confusing criminal charges and violations of the legal code of ethics. There was no criminal violations stemming from what is known today. Florida judicial codes prohibit “the appearance of impropriety.” Appearances are not criminal violations, but they can get a judge thrown off the bench
December 15th, 2017 at 6:27 pm
Still.She good get cut.Even worse.I mean she good be done.Mayor Seiler is representing her from what im hearing.You see ny point she just didn.t give Ahearn 80% of mediations for ha/has.She probably will be thrown off the bench.I don.t know id probably wish for a criminal charge.That way she could take down everyone else involved.Why take the heat all by herself..
December 15th, 2017 at 10:22 pm
Pretty funny that “Crooked” Jack Seiler choose to involve himself in this scandal between this crooked judge and Seiler’s political flunky Michael Ahearn as the crooked judge’s defense lawyer. You would think “Crooked” Jack Seiler as a career politician of the left would steer clear of unseemly public corruption like this. My guess is his flunky got him on the payroll with half the story, hopefully the other half we don’t know yet even makes “Crooked” Jack Seiler blush.
December 16th, 2017 at 4:46 pm
Charlie Mayor Seiler is an attorney.Thats his job.His #1 priority is the client.He took an oath to honor and preserve this.Nothing crooked about it..
December 17th, 2017 at 11:22 am
The choice was between Ian Richards and Claudia Robinson in the election. Neither is a legal scholar. They are barely lawyers. That is why judges should be appointed by the JNC which vets every appointment carefully.
December 17th, 2017 at 11:53 am
In the immortal words of Ron White, “you have the right to remain silent, but it appears prolific mumbler Haircut Johnny doesn’t have the ability to remain silent. “
December 18th, 2017 at 9:34 am
#4, “Crooked” Jack doesn’t have to take every case that comes his way does he? He’s allowed to say no thank you right? Especially in a case of public corruption like this where he is involved with scammers on a case of public corruption while he is currently a public official himself.
December 22nd, 2017 at 7:19 pm
I would NEVER want any committee, one that vets or not, be the ones appointing a judge. I agree that each candidate should have to go through a stringent vetting process before allowed on the ballot. But all judges should be elected. We think we have an issue with an elected judge that has questionable ethics. Imagine a committee that is designated to do so. Granted, the voting American Citizen isn’t a great judge of character; but they are much more difficult to corrupt than a group of people responsible for appointing our local judiciary.