George W. Maxwell, III
George W. Maxwell, III was a Brevard County judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court in Florida. He was elected to this position in 1998, effective in January 1999. He was retained in 2010 to a six-year term that ended on January 2, 2017.[1][2][3]
Education
Maxwell received his B.S. degree from Stetson University and his J.D. degree from the University of Florida. He was admitted to the Bar in 1978.[4]
Career
Prior to his judicial election in 1998, Maxwell worked as a civil attorney in Brevard County.[1]
2010 election
Maxwell ran unopposed and was automatically retained to a new term.[3]
- Main article: Florida judicial elections, 2010
Noteworthy cases
Department of Children and Families seeks Judge Maxwell's removal from certain cases
In April 2001, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) sought the removal of Judge Maxwell from certain cases involving child abuse. The department claimed that the judge took a risk with a child's safety.
Maxwell had returned a 13-year-old boy to his father, who was suspected for the sexual abuse of the boy's sister. Later on, the boy came home to his dead father, who had committed suicide. The father also admitted to his daughter's abuse in his suicide note.
Maxwell, following this news, defended his decision to place the boy back in the home by saying that the evidence of "a little pedophilia" there was not known to be life-threatening and did not indicate that the boy was in danger.[5] Nevertheless, Maxwell complied with the DCF's request that he stop handling certain cases and accepted a transfer to another division. The situation was reviewed by the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal.[6]
Public reprimand
Judge Maxwell was publicly reprimanded in front of the Florida Supreme Court on January 6, 2009. Maxwell and the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission agreed that he violated Canons 1, 2A and 2B of the Code of Judicial Conduct after interfering into a case to which he was not assigned.[7][8]
For additional information on this issue, please see:
See also
External links
- 18th Judicial Circuit Courts
- YouTube, "Meet The Judges - George W. Maxwell, III," April 11, 2011 (video)
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Orlando Sentinel, "Voters Will Be Picking 2 New Circuit Judges," October 29, 1998
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "George Maxwell, 1998"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Florida Division of Elections, "George W. Maxwell, 2010"
- ↑ Martindale, "Judge Profile: George W. Maxwell, III"
- ↑ Orlando Sentinel, "Appeal Court Demands Judge Explain Actions," April 17, 2001
- ↑ The Florida Times-Union, "DCF asks judges to step aside in abuse cases," April 14, 2001
- ↑ Inquiry Concerning A Judge, No. 07-540 RE: George W. Maxwell, III, (2008)
- ↑ The Florida Bar, "Judge Maxwell reprimanded for ‘misguided’ intervention," November 1, 2008
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida
State courts:
Florida Supreme Court • Florida District Courts of Appeal • Florida Circuit Court • Florida County Court
State resources:
Courts in Florida • Florida judicial elections • Judicial selection in Florida
