A day after a hearing panel from the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission recommended the removal of Broward County Circuit Judge Gisele Pollack over alcohol problems; the judge has tendered her resignation from the bench effective immediately.
The hearing panel released its findings on Monday and said Pollack was “presently unfit to remain on the bench.”
“The Hearing Panel believes the Judge Pollack is, in fact, committed to recovery,” the panel wrote. “Judge Pollack’s actions in taking the bench March 19, 2014, while impaired by alcohol, checking herself out of treatment, involvement in a DUIC accident on May 1, 2014, and ensuing May 2, 2014 arrest, violated an existing FLA (Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc.) contract.”
The panel said Pollack violated multiple provisions of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct starting when she took the bench while under the influence of alcohol on December 17, 2013. The panel said she agreed not to drink and signed a stipulation which gave her the chance to remain on the bench as long as she complied with the conditions set forth by an Investigative Panel.
The panel said Pollack then took the bench again intoxicated just days after multiple lawyers were put in place to ensure her compliance with the program. Then on May 1, the panel said Pollack left her treatment facility and was arrested for DUI after causing an accident.
