Jefferson County, Alabama, Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard has been suspended after a 120-page complaint accused her of serious misconduct and running her court unprofessionally. The complaint says she called herself the “ultimate authority” with “no boss” and handled cases improperly. Her poor management of the court docket delayed involuntary commitment hearings for months, forcing some people to stay locked up or hospitalized longer than necessary. In one case, a hospital repeatedly contacted her office begging for a hearing so a patient could go home, but cancellations added extra weeks in the hospital, leaving the person “lying in bed crying and upset,” according to the complaint. The report also says her lack of professionalism hurt families dealing with guardianship and estate matters. A temporary judge has been appointed to take over while the case goes to the Court of the Judiciary.
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