Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Orange circuit judge's conduct under scrutiny

The papers today are filled with articles concerning allegations of Judicial misconduct. Recently here in Orlando, Florida, Judge James Hauser, a domestic relations judge, has been scrutinized based on allegations surrounding his own divorce.

Whether or not a Judge should be held to a higher standard of moral conduct than regular citizens has been debated for years. The consensus seems to be that people who are in a position of power should be held to a higher moral standard than the average citizen, and this would certainly pertain to our Judges. The reality is that everyone has personal problems including Judges. The question then becomes whether those personal problems are affecting a Judge's ability to do his/her job. If the answer to that question is no, a Judge shouldn't lose his/her position on the bench unless his/her credibility has been tarnished. If a Judge presiding over criminal matters is charged with a criminal felony, it seems logical that his/her credibility has been shattered, regardless of whether he/she is convicted. However, with domestic issues, the answer is much more gray.

If you would like to read the article concerning Judge Hauser, see the following link:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-hauser1607jan16,0,4887194.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

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