Earlean Isaac
Earlean Isaac was a judge for the Greene County Probate Court in Alabama. She joined the court in 1989, becoming the first black female probate judge in the state. In 2012, Isaac was re-elected to her fifth term, which would have expired in 2018.[1][2]
After being charged with ethics violations, Isaac resigned in August 2016 in accordance with a settlement reached with the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission.[3]
Education
Isaac graduated from the Greene County Training School. She attended the University of Alabama Law Center for probate judge training.[1]
Career
Prior to serving as probate judge, Isaac was a law clerk for the Greene County Probate Office from 1971 to 1974. In 1974, she became chief clerk, where she served until joining the court in 1989.[1]
Noteworthy events
Misconduct allegations (2016)
On August 3, 2016, the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) filed ethics charges against Isaac for failing to disqualify herself from issues involving her father's estate.[4]
Robert Percy Williams, Isaac's father, died in 2003. In 2013, he received $62,500 from a class-action racial discrimination lawsuit. Isaac is an heir along with her 14 siblings. According to the JIC, Isaac violated the canons of judicial ethics by being involved in ex parte communications with others, including her siblings; obtaining waivers outside of the court, parties, and attorneys; notarizing documents that would be filed in her court; directing her sister, the administratrix, on who should be heirs; and other actions with which she "abandon[ed] her post as an impartial arbiter."[4]
On August 8, the Alabama Court of the Judiciary approved a settlement in which Isaac agreed to resign and never seek judicial office again.[3]
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Greene County Democrat, "Judge Earlean Isaac re-elected to fifth term; Atkins and Wilson in run-off for circuit clerk," March 15, 2012
- ↑ Alabama State Bar, "Greene County officials"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 AL.com, "Alabama probate judges disciplined for sexting, ethics charges," August 8, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 AL.com, "Greene County probate judge faces judicial ethics charges regarding father's estate," August 4, 2016
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
