Facebook Judge Case Goes to Florida Supreme Court

Court to decide whether judge can preside over criminal case if he and prosecutor are Facebook friends

The Florida Supreme Court is being asked to decide whether a judge can preside over a criminal case if he and the prosecutor are Facebook friends.

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday asked the justice to reverse an appellate ruling that ordered Circuit Judge Andrew Siegel off the Broward County case.

Defendant Pierre Domville asked Siegel to recuse himself because of his Facebook friendship with the prosecutor.

Woman Gives Judge Middle Finger, Gets 30-Day Sentence

Siegal refused, but the West Palm Beach-based 4th District Court Appeal overruled him.

A three-judge panel cited a 2009 opinion by the state's Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee that concluded the Judicial Code of Ethics prevents judges from friending lawyers who appear before them on social networking sites.

District Judge Robert Gross wrote that judges "do not have the unfettered social freedom of teenagers."

More Local Stories:

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us