Spousal Support Draws Reprimand

The Florida Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded a Broward County Judge in connection with his handling of a motion to disqualify himself.

The motion alleged a conflict between moving counsel and the judge's spouse. The spouse had been a losing candidate for judicial office. A lawsuit was filed agaionst the spouse alleging that "she had improperly campaigned under her maiden name."

The attorney seeking disqualification had supported another candidate and participated in the lawsuit over the maiden name.

At the hearing on the motion to disqualify, the reprimanded judge called his spouse as a witness and threatened the moving attorney with a bar complaint. (Mike Frisch)