Marvin Wiggins
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2022
Marvin Wiggins is the Democratic judge for Place 3 on the Circuit 4 court in Alabama. He has served in this position since January 19, 1999, following his election in 1998. He won re-election in 2004 and 2010. Wiggins won re-election again in the general election on November 8, 2016.[1][2][3]
Biography
Wiggins received his undergraduate degree from Alabama State University in 1986, his J.D. from Howard University in 1990, and his master of laws degree from Emory University in 1992.[4][5]
Prior to being elected to the court, Wiggins practiced law with the firms of The Law Office of Johnnie Hardwick and Chestnut, Sanders, Sanders, Pettaway & Campbell, LLC.[4]
Awards
- 2002: MLK Peacekeeper’s Award
- 2002: Emancipation Proclamation Humanitarian Award
- 2001: Greene County SCLC Black Achievers of Alabama
- 2001: Bridge Builders Award
- 1997: William Moses Kunstler Racial Justice Award [4]
Associations
- 2005–2014: Member, Alabama State University’s Board of Trustees[4]
Elections
2016
Alabama held general elections for local judicial offices in 2016. A primary election took place on March 1, 2016, with a primary runoff on April 12, 2016. The general election was held on November 8, 2016.
Incumbent Marvin Wiggins ran unopposed in the general election for the Alabama 4th Judicial Circuit Place 3 seat.[6]
| Alabama 4th Judicial Circuit (Place 3), General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Marvin Wiggins Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 31,910 | |
| Total Votes | 31,910 | |||
| Source: Alabama Votes, "2016 Unofficial General Election Results," accessed November 10, 2016 | ||||
2010
- See also: Alabama judicial elections, 2010
Wiggins was re-elected to Circuit 4, earning 100 percent of the vote.[7]
Noteworthy events
Ethic complaint filed against judge (2015)
The Southern Poverty Law Center filed an ethics complaint against Marvin Wiggins on October 19, 2015, after the judge reportedly told offenders who owed fines or fees that they must donate blood or go to jail. In September, hundreds of people were at the courthouse and Wiggins told them there was a blood drive outside and said, "If you don’t have any money, go out there and give blood and bring in a receipt indicating you gave blood."[8]
Those who gave blood were given a $100 credit toward their fines. Some offenders said they were not sure whether they were being told to pay their usual monthly payment or the total amount. One man was under the impression that he had to give blood despite offering to pay as much as he could. "He told us we got to go there and give some blood or we go to jail," he said.[8] An attorney who was in the courtroom that day said he did not know whether it was legal or not. The Southern Poverty Law Center said the judge had committed a "a violation of bodily integrity."[8] Judge Wiggins was contacted by The New York Times but said he could not speak to them.
Vice president Jill Evans of LifeSouth Community Blood Centers said they quarantined and tested all the blood collected that day after receiving a complaint. They eventually discarded most of the donations.
| “ | We appreciate the judge’s attempt to support the community’s blood needs. However, LifeSouth prohibits blood donations from being considered as community service because it is potentially an unacceptable incentive for a volunteer donor.[9] | ” |
| —Jill Evans[8] | ||
Audit of Alabama State University (2013-2014)
Governor Robert Bentley's office released a 38-page preliminary audit of Alabama State University (ASU) on October 14, 2013. The audit was commissioned to investigate claims of fraud at the school. It included a complete audit of all the school's financial activity from 2007 to 2011. The preliminary report suggested various instances of financial waste and conflicts of interest. Specifically, it alleged that relatives of trustees, Marvin Wiggins and Elton Dean, received an undue amount of money from the school.[10]
The audit pointed to funds received by Wiggins' relatives through a dropout-prevention camp run by his wife which was contracted by the university. The camp did take place before Wiggins was appointed to serve on the board, and no issues regarding the summer program were ever voted on or discussed by the board.[11]
The audit also pointed to a high salary received by Wiggins' sister-in-law — a disbarred attorney who was hired as a professor at ASU. However, minutes from the board meeting indicate Wiggins abstained from voting on her selection as a faculty member.[11] A total of $205,301 was received by Wiggins' family members through the school according to the report.[12]
Wiggins, however, suggested that the audit was a political move. On the day the preliminary audit was made public, he stated,
| “ | Governor Bentley was provided on Friday with information related to me that clearly and concisely disputed the findings of his report. Instead of basing his actions on facts, he has arbitrarily decided to try to remove me from the board so that he can begin the process of controlling Alabama State University. Our University has gained everything we have through struggles and fights for decades, and if a fight is what Gov. Bentley wants, he will certainly get it.[9] | ” |
| —Judge Marvin Wiggins[13] | ||
The full report is available here: Alabama State University (ASU) Independent Financial Forensics Assessment
Former university president, Joseph Silver, recommended the audit although he held his post as president for just three months. In September 2012, Silver claimed he discovered irregularities with some of the school's contracts. He was subsequently placed on paid administrative leave by the board of trustees. Silver later received a $685,000 settlement from the school.[14]
Governor Bentley asked trustees Marvin Wiggins and Elton Dean to resign. Dean agreed to do so.[11]
Wiggins refused to resign and argued that the governor's actions were due to politics and racial bias. The state's two historically black colleges contain provisions in their constitutions which allow the state's governor to remove trustees. However, 13 other colleges in the state have no such provision. Wiggins served as vice-chair of the board. The board is chaired by the governor. However, in the governor's absence, the vice-chair conducts board meetings. Bentley's attendance at such meetings was reportedly rare. Most were chaired by Wiggins.[11]
Wiggins removed
On July 25, 2014, Governor Bentley removed Marvin Wiggins from the Alabama State University Board of Trustees. The governor cited conflict-of-interest violations in a letter to Wiggins that announced his removal from the board. The letter claimed that Wiggins had benefitted from payments by the university to his wife, had participated in getting his sister-in-law a job despite her disbarment, and had unduly requested a $100,000 fund for the trustees to use for hiring and trips.[15][16]
Discipline (2009)
Wiggins was reprimanded by the Alabama Court of the Judiciary in 2009 and suspended for 90 days without pay due to violations of the Code of Judicial Ethics. The court found that he failed to recuse himself from a voter fraud case that involved three of his relatives.[17]
See also
External links
- Alabama Administrative Office Courts, "Alabama's Judicial Circuits"
- WSFA Channel 12, "Court issues decision on Judge Wiggins," July 30, 2009
- Court of the Judiciary, "Public Reprimand," July 30, 2009
- Black Belt Economic Development Directory, "Dallas County"
Footnotes
- ↑ Alabama State Bar, "Circuit 4 officials and contact information," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ Alabama Courts, "Stipulation of Evidence to be Presented by the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission," July 2009
- ↑ Prison Talk forum, "Ex-judge returns to meet incumbent for judgeship," May 18, 2004
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Albama State University, "Judge Marvin Wiggins," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ Martindale.com, "Judge Profile: Marvin W. Wiggins," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ Alabama Votes, "2016 Election Information," accessed May 5, 2016
- ↑ State of Alabama Official Election Center, "Unofficial General Election 2010 Results," August 8, 2011
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 The New York Times, "For Offenders Who Can’t Pay, It’s a Pint of Blood or Jail Time," October 19, 2015
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ WSFA Channel 12, "ASU, board members release statements on audit report," October 14, 2013
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Alabama Political Reporter, "Stop the Destruction of Alabama State University," November 1, 2013
- ↑ AL.com, "Forensic audit alleges financial waste, conflicts of interest and possible fraud at Alabama State University," October 14, 2013
- ↑ Alabama State University, "Statements from Elton Dean and Judge Marvin Wiggins," October 14, 2013
- ↑ Montgomery Advertiser, "Taxpayers shell out for ASU audit," March 20, 2014
- ↑ AL.com, "Gov. Bentley removes Alabama State University Trustee Marvin Wiggins from office," July 25, 2014
- ↑ Office of the Governor, "Letter to Marvin Wiggins," July 25, 2014
- ↑ Tuscaloosa News, "King wants judge off bench without pay," August 1, 2009
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama
State courts:
Alabama Supreme Court • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals • Alabama Circuit Courts • Alabama District Courts • Alabama Juvenile Courts • Alabama Municipal Courts • Alabama Probate Courts • Alabama Small Claims Courts
State resources:
Courts in Alabama • Alabama judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alabama
