INQUIRY CONCERNING A JUDGE NO. 09-01 and 09-578
RE: JUDGE N. JAMES TURNER SC09-1182
Illegal Practice of Law
As a sitting judge, Turner was prohibited from engaging in the practice of law. However, he knowingly acted as his mother’s lawyer in a foreclosure proceeding in Dade County.
THE FLORIDA JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS COMMISSION’S SECOND
INTERROGATORIES TO JUDGE N. JAMES TURNER states:JUDGE MOTHER STERNFiled_05-05-2010_JQC_Second_Interrogatories
INTERROGATORY NO. 1: Please specifically itemize and describe the source of funds (in excess of $42,000) that you reported as loans from you to your campaign.
ANSWER:
INTERROGATORY NO. 2: Please specifically itemize and describe all funds, however characterized, you received from your mother (Mignon Gordon) which were used for the campaign for the office you now hold, including, the date(s) any such funds were received, the specific amounts of such funds, and the total of such funds.
ANSWER:
INTERROGATORY NO. 3: Please specifically describe the agreement, arrangement or understanding you had with your mother regarding the funds you received from her which were used in the campaign for the office you now hold.
ANSWER:
INTERROGATORY NO. 4: Please describe all communications (written or parole) you had with David J. Stern, Esquire regarding your mother or the foreclosure litigation brought against her by Citimortgage, Inc. in Dade County, Florida, including the nature, substance and approximate dates of all such communications.
ANSWER:
INTERROGATORY NO. 5: Please describe all communications (written or parole) you had with any person other than David J. Stern, Esquire regarding your mother or the foreclosure litigation brought against her by Citimortgage, Inc. in Dade County, Florida, including the nature, substance and approximate dates of all such communications.
ANSWER:
NOTICE OF THIRD AMENDED CONSOLIDATED
FORMAL CHARGES states:
7. During the campaign for the office you now hold, you knowingly accepted and received a very substantial campaign contribution made for the purpose of influencing the results of the election, whether characterized as a gift or loan, far in excess of the $500 limit established by Ch. 106, Florida Statutes, from your mother (Mignon Gordon) which you used to pay for your campaign, in violation of Chapter 106, Florida Statutes, and Canons 1, 2A and 7C(1) of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
8. As a sitting circuit court judge, on or about November 20, 2009, you knowingly filed a notice of appearance in pending litigation in Dade County, Florida (CitiMortgage, Inc. v. Gordon, Case No. 2009-74992-CA- 01) where you purported to appear to represent your mother in foreclosure proceedings brought against her therein, in violation of Canons 1, 2A and 5G of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
9. As a sitting circuit court judge, you knowingly represented and acted as litigation counsel for your mother in the foreclosure proceeding in Dade County, Florida described above by, inter alia, communicating with counsel for the mortgagee on her behalf, in Osceola County, Florida, in violation of Canons 1, 2A and 5G of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
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Yes, there is a problem, BUT, no rabbits were harmed in this action.
More of a problem is judges accepting campain contributions from law firms and lawyers to practice in their district and who do, or may appear before them.
So many defendants are without representation, I don’t see the harm in any lawyer, judge or not, helping a defendant where they are not involved in the case in any other way.
Retired judges may practice law and prosecute, so if the is no direct or indirect harm to the process, or opposing parties, where is the conflict?
Are any of the persons or parties before the judge in any other matter ?
They’re trying to figure out whether me made a deal w/ Stern: leave mama alone or else, when “or else” is what he should be doing anyway as a judge.
Any judge has enough lawyer friends that one would’ve taken his moms case pro bono which would still be pushing (or crossing) the lines, but more understandable (especially if he chose carefully; say a semi-retired lawyer unlikely to appear before him and who he could recuse himself with anyway).