AL judge censured for repeatedly hiring brother-in-law to handle cases
A Mobile juvenile court judge was censured by a state ethics panel on Thursday for repeatedly appointing his brother-in-law to handle indigent cases.
The Court of the Judiciary, which has the power to discipline judges, censured Circuit Judge Edmond Naman for violating ethical standards. The judgment was handed down after Naman reached a settlement agreement with the Judicial Inquiry Commission, which filed the complaint against him on Monday.
The commission said that Naman repeatedly appointed his brother-in-law over an 11-year-period to represent indigent defendants. The cannons of judicial ethics says that judges should make appointments on merit and not nepotism or favoritism.
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Naman agreed that his actions violated a cannon of judicial ethics and said he would no longer appoint his brother-in-law. The parties also agreed that Naman could also show evidence that his motivation in the appointment was to ensure quality representation for the defendants.
The Court of the Judiciary approved the settlement Thursday following a public hearing. The agreement swiftly resolved the complaint that was filed Monday and allowed Naman to return to the bench. He had been automatically suspended after the complaint was filed.
