Judith W. Hawkins
Judith W. Hawkins was a county judge on the Leon County Court in Florida. She began to serve in this position in 1996.[1]
In 2012, Hawkins was accused of using her judicial office for her own business (see story below). The state supreme court ordered Hawkins removed from the bench in December 2014.[2]
Education
Hawkins received her B.A. in home economics and journalism from Andrews University in 1973. She was awarded an M.S. in family relations and human development from Ohio State University in 1977 and earned her J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law in 1984.[1]
Career
- 1996-2014: Judge, Leon County Court, Florida
- 1994-1996: Public defender/conflict attorney, Juvenile Delinquency Court
- 1987-1996: Attorney in private practice
- Adjunct professor, Florida A&M University [1]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2006: Tallahassee Democrat 28th Anniversary, Volunteer of the Year Award for education
- 2004: Delegate to Panama, Florida Law Related Education Program
- 2003: Harvey Ford Award, Conference of County Judges
- 2001: FAWL 50th Anniversary Golden Star Award Recipient
- 1999: Achievement award, 100 Black Men of America, Inc.
- 1998: Women of Distinction Award, Girl Scouts Council of the Apalachee Bend
- 1990: Volunteer Recognition Award, Parents Anonymous
- 1989-1990: Outstanding Attorney Award, Guardian Ad Litem
- 1985-1996: Pro bono Service Distinction, Legal Services of North Florida
Associations
- Florida Bar Board Certified in Marital and Family Law
- Florida Supreme Court Certified in Family Mediation
- Florida Bar Small Claims Committee
- 2003: Judicial Law Delegate to South Africa, People to People Ambassador Program
- Education Committee, Conference of County Court Judges
- Chair, Tallahassee Women Lawyers Sunshine
- 1996-1998: Family Courts Steering Committee, Florida Supreme Court
- 1993-1995: Grievance Committee, Florida Bar, Second Judicial Circuit
- 1993-1994: Advisory Committee, Trial Court Work Performance Standards
- 1993-1994: Trial Court Work Performance Standards Advisory Committee
- 1993: Member, Tallahassee Bar Association Board
- 1992-1993: President, Legal Services of North Florida
- American Inns of Court: Tallahassee Section
- 1991-1994 and 1999-2001: Legal Aid Foundation Board
- 1990-1994: Legal Services of North Florida: 1990 to 1994
- Tallahassee Bar Association
- 1987 and 1994-1996: Tallahassee Barristers Treasurer
- Tallahassee Barristers
- Member, Southern Union Society of Adventist Attorneys[3]
Elections
2012
- See also: Florida judicial elections, 2012
Hawkins was unopposed and automatically re-elected as a county judge for the Leon County Court in the general election on November 6, 2012.[4][5]
Noteworthy events
Judge charged with misconduct for running personal business out of courtroom (2013)
A five-day trial on misconduct charges against Hawkins began on October 7, 2013, following the filing of formal charges against her by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission in December 2012. The commission charged Hawkins, among other things, with using her judicial office to promote a private interest.[6]
According to the commission, Hawkins founded Gaza Road Ministries in 2010. Her business website displayed photos of her wearing her judicial robes. In one photo, she was seated on the bench at the Leon County courthouse. Her biography on the website also noted her position as a county judge. The website included information about Hawkins' speaking engagements and offered a variety of products for sale, including religious workbooks.
The commission charged that Hawkins "sold or attempted to sell (her) books, study guides, and other publications in the Leon County courthouse, in the parking garage of the courthouse, and even in the Courtroom in which (she) preside(s).[6]" The commission noted that, due to Hawkins' position of authority at the court, attorneys and employees of the court could have felt obligated or pressured to purchase items from her.
According to the charges, Hawkins also used her court e-mail account to communicate with others regarding her business and products. Hawkins created the products she sold from her offices at the Leon County Court and used courthouse equipment and supplies for her business. Her judicial assistant helped her create and sell products, during the work day, at the court. Tax documents filed by Hawkins indicated she earned $13,518.00 from her business in 2011.[7]
Hawkins claimed her duties as a judge left her with a lot of free time to spend working on her business. However, according to special counsel Greg Miller, who was representing the commission in the hearing, Hawkins would cancel court proceedings without providing advance notice to the parties involved in order to attend events or speak about her business. The commission alleged that Hawkins failed to administer prompt and efficient justice because she was more interested in pursuing activities to further her business.[7]
Gerald Kogan, a former Florida Supreme Court justice who represented Hawkins, acknowledged, "she may have gotten wrapped up in a personal goal of helping people.[7]" He noted that Hawkins received many awards from the legal community and served as a volunteer speaker at schools in Leon County for 20 years.[7] In her response, Hawkins pointed out that one of the photos on her website which showed her wearing her judicial robe was taken at Oakridge Elementary School. After being nominated by the school, Hawkins received the Tallahassee Democrat, Volunteer of the Year for Education Award in 2006.[8]
In addition, Hawkins was charged by the commission with failing to act in a manner that promotes public confidence. While on the bench during a trial, Hawkins recommended three attorneys to a defendant saying, "..tell them Judge Hawkins sent you." Florida judges are not allowed to recommend attorneys or offer legal advice to the public. Parties also said she had been seen reading magazines while presiding over court proceedings.[9][10]
During the hearing, the commission planned to offer evidence that Hawkins intentionally deleted financial records showing she conducted business for Gaza Road Ministries during work hours at the court. She declined to provide information requested by the commission relating to sales, customer lists and payments she made to her judicial assistant. The commission alleged that court records and computer data reveal that Hawkins and her judicial assistant performed work related to the judge's business during the workday at the court.[11]
Hawkins found guilty of misconduct after hearing
The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission found Hawkins guilty of running her religious business out of her chambers at the Leon County Courthouse. In addition, she was also found guilty of misconduct on the bench and of interfering with the commission's misconduct investigation. The 36-page report was released on January 28, 2014.[12]
According to the report:
| “ | Judge Hawkins believes in extending second chances to others. The Hearing Panel concludes that her conduct in response to the FJCQ investigation 34 was an aberration, that she is devoted to the community, is still capable of able service and that she, likewise, is entitled to a second chance...[13][14] | ” |
The commission recommended that the state supreme court suspend Hawkins for 90 days and fine her $17,000.[12]
Supreme court moves to remove Judge Hawkins from office
On June 23, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court announced its plan to remove Judge Hawkins from the bench for using her judicial office for her own business, Gaza Road Ministries. The justices did, however, offer Hawkins a chance to "show cause why removal from office is not the appropriate sanction in this case."[15]
Hawkins' response to the supreme court
Hawkins defended herself to the state supreme court on July 14, 2014, with a 15-page document that included the following statements:
| “ | To remove me from the Leon County bench deprives the citizens who elected me, the litigants who appear before me and the attorneys who practice in my courtroom of a dedicated judge...I have kept my pledge to use my experience before and after becoming a judge to deal justly and fairly; even-handedly and impartially; consistently and orderly with all the matters submitted for my consideration and disposition.[14] | ” |
| —Judith Hawkins[16] | ||
| “ | This case is about errors of the mind, not of the heart...The allegations did not include any intentional injustice toward litigants; ... nor were there allegations of inappropriate use of office or power for personal advantage.[14] | ” |
| —Judith Hawkins[16] | ||
Florida Supreme Court orders removal of Hawkins
On October 30, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court ordered the removal of Hawkins from the bench. In their strongly worded opinion, the justices of the Florida Supreme Court found that Hawkins had violated the code of judicial conduct by clear and convincing evidence and concluded that "removal from the bench is the only appropriate sanction in this case."[17]
The court did acknowledge Hawkins' exemplary record as a public servant and the use of her business, Gaza Road Ministries, as a charitable enterprise, but stated, nevertheless, that removal was applicable due to the "grievous nature of the violations." The court further found that Hawkins, in using court resources to operate her business and failing to cooperate with the investigation constituted "conduct unbecoming a member of the judiciary demonstrating a present unfitness to hold office."[18]
The full text of the order can be read here.
Hawkins had 15 days to file for a rehearing.[17] As she did not, the removal order became final. Hawkins was removed from office on December 5, 2014.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Law Diary, "Biographies of State and County Court Judges in Florida, page 60," accessed October 8, 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 WCTV.tv, "Position for Hawkins Vacancy now Open," December 5, 2014
- ↑ Florida Second Judicial Circuit, "County Judges, Judge Judith W. Hawkins," accessed October 8, 2013
- ↑ Florida judicial elections, 2012 - County Court
- ↑ Leon County Supervisor of Elections, "2012 Filed Candidate List," accessed October 31, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Before the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, "Inquiry concerning A Judge, Judith W. Hawkins, No. 11-550, Notice of Formal Charges," December 5, 2012
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Tallahassee.com, "UPDATE: Judge Hawkins peddled religious workbook to courthouse friends, according to testimony," October 7, 2013
- ↑ Before the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, "Inquiry Concerning a Judge, Judith W. Hawkins, No. 11-550, Answer to Notice of Formal Charges, December 20, 2012
- ↑ Before the Investigative Panel of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, Inquiry Concerning a Judge, Judith Hawkins, Case No. 11-550, "Judicial Qualifications Commission's Trial Memorandum," October 3, 2013
- ↑ 12th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed November 13, 2015
- ↑ Before the Investigative Panel of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, Inquiry Concerning a Judge, Judith Hawkins, Case No. 11-550, "Judicial Qualifications Commission's Trial Memorandum," October 3, 2013
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 WCTV.tv, "Judge Hawkins faces fine and suspension," January 28, 2014
- ↑ Before the Judicial Qualifications Commission, State of Florida, "Inquiry Concerning Judge Judith Hawkins, No. 11-550, SC12-2495, Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations of the Hearing Panel," January 27, 2014
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Tallahassee Democrat, "Judge Judith Hawkins faces removal from office," June 24, 2014
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Tallahassee Democrat, "Judge Hawkins pleads to stay on the job," July 15, 2014
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 The Tallahassee.com, "Court orders Judge Judith Hawkins be removed from the bench," October 31, 2014
- ↑ The Supreme Court of Florida, "Inquiry Concerning a Judge, No. 11-550, Re: Judith W. Hawkins," October 31, 2014
