Recommend Broward Judge Get 3 Months Suspension, $20k Fine for Drunk Driving
BY BUDDY NEVINS
A judicial panel has recommended that Broward Circuit Judge Cynthia Imperato receive a public reprimand, three-months suspension without pay, treatment for alcoholism and pay a $20,000 fine for a drunk driving arrest in 2013.
The recommended sentence by the Judicial Qualifications Commission was issued today after the group’s initial punishment was turned down in April by the Florida Supreme Court. The JQC originally recommended Imperato receive a public reprimand, a 20-day suspension without pay, treatment for alcohol abuse and pay a $5,000.
In their recommendation, the JQC noted that Imperato was “a highly regarded, well-respected, competent judge, who cooperated with the JQC, displayed remorse, and has repeatedly apologized.” From seeing her in action and knowing her personally, I agree.
Imperato was a Tallahassee police officer for nine years, part of the time while attending Florida State University Law School. After leaving the police, She was a statewide prosecutor for 13 years. And before being appointed to the bench by Gov. Jeb Bush in January 2003, she was a Republican activist in Broward.
I believe Imperato will learn a lesson from this experience and it will make her a better judge.
Cynthia Imperato
The recommendations are on the Florida Supreme Court website here.
October 22nd, 2015 at 5:11 pm
The Florida Supreme Court has to accept this. They may not. She has to run in 2016, she may get an opponent.
October 23rd, 2015 at 3:19 am
What is it with all these Broward judges who can’t hold their liquor?
October 23rd, 2015 at 5:32 am
Mr. Nevins your informative story on Broward Circuit Judge Cynthia Imperato and the recommendations made by the JQC regarding her past problem with alcoholism is empathetic and sensitive. Hopefully, the Florida Supreme Court will accept the JQC recommended punishment because she has showed remorse and has repeatedly apologized. I believe she is a good Judge who has made a mistake and she accepts responsibilities for her actions. I wish her success on her road to recovery and with her future roll as Judge.
October 23rd, 2015 at 7:45 am
Cindy Imperato has her deamons – they have been aired in public and through it all she has maintained her dignity and has definitely been contrite. She is extremely well liked in the Courhouse because of her constant smile and respect for people’s time. She knows how to make up her mind quickly and move a docket – that is what a good judge needs to do. SHE HAS NEVER LIED. There is no comparison between her behavior in and out of the Courthouse since the arrest and that horrible lying psyco delusional shrew Rosenthal – who by the way was despised by EVERYBODY that came before her. To the contrary, lawyers on all ends of the spectrum look forward to going before Judge Imperato. This whole affair has only served to enhance her sense of humility and compassion for the lawyers and “citizens” appearing on her cases. Nobody wants to see her go.
October 23rd, 2015 at 1:18 pm
Look Broward County has neither the artistic life of the Keys the international life of Miami or the upper class culture crowd of Palm Beach Sarasota or even Vero Beach and drugs alcohol n sex seem to be too common. It’s sad good people get so bored out of their goards they drink too much but lets treat it as a form of mental illness like many forms of drug addiction. Criminal acts like harming others property damage n lying should be treated separately n accordingly to circumstances. Let us wish the Judge good luck in her future
October 27th, 2015 at 1:23 pm
Imperato’s gracious acknowledgment of her failings do not relieve of her failing to obey the arresting officers and flashing her judicial badge to evade possible arrest. She then forces the State to go to trial and defends, in part, on the grounds that the State and the police were after a “big fish,” her. She gets convicted and now the JQC and some of the others here suggests that she’s an appropriate person to remain on the bench in judgment of others. Years ago, Gene Garrett, a respected circuit judge and, at the time, an appellate judge was arrested for shoplifting, a minor crime that posed no threat to the community. He was summarily removed from the Bench. Imperato endangered the ccommunity and was convicted. How she remains on the Bench after a slap on the wrist is beyond belief. She may be the nicest, most gracious person in the world, and a terrific manager of her docket. This doesn’t negate the fact that as a judge she broke the law and stands convicted of it. Anything less than removal would send a message to the community that judge’s are above the law. Certainly the Supreme Court cannot subscribe to that notion irrespective of demons and disease.
October 30th, 2015 at 10:04 am
So you write a blog and believe that whatever you write is the gospel. You’re too full of yourself. Narcissistic lately? Come on, this chick has been twice arrested for dui. This time, she flashed her badge – FLASHED her badge- and refused to get out of the car – all in a desperate attempt to use her rank to circumvent the law. How is that any better than the other bimbo you wrote a piece on like she deserved sparing (rosenthal)?
She was a terrible criminal judge. True to her background, she always sided with the state, I don’t think she ever met a cop whose b.s. story she didn’t accept as the truth. She should be defrocked and disbarred. Bye bye and good riddance.