Update:
ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County Judge and former State Prosecutor Jeff Ashton was formally notified on Wednesday that the Judicial Qualifications Commission has filed charges against him after he was accused of bad behavior in his courtroom, according to a notice from the JQC obtained by Channel 9.
The notice mentions a total of six different instances where the judge is accused of either shouting at people in his courtroom or showing bias.
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WFTV has reached out to Chief Judge Lisa Munyon for her response to these allegations.
Channel 9 also reached out to Ashton’s office and received the following statement:
“Judge Jeffrey Ashton is aware of the Notice of Formal Charges filed yesterday afternoon by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC). He is disappointed the JQC chose to publicize this matter 34 days before the upcoming election. Judge Ashton looks forward to addressing these accusations through the JQC process over the coming months.
Judge Ashton has been a respected member of the Central Florida legal community for over 40 years. He served with honor and distinction as an Assistant State Attorney for 30 years, and as the elected State Attorney for Orange and Osceola Counties for 4 years. He has served as a Circuit Court judge in central Florida since his election in 2018. He looks forward to addressing these claims and continuing to serve the citizens of Central Florida as a judge.”
Original story:
The local judge who prosecuted the Casey Anthony case is now accused of bad behavior in his courtroom.
The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission has filed charges against Judge Jeff Ashton.
He’s accused of bias and an overall bad temperament in court.
Read: State Representative Randy Fine to appeal contempt of court ruling
The panel determined that his behavior raises questions about his fitness for judicial office.
Ashton has 20 days to respond to the charges.
Read: Orange County Judge Jeff Ashton will not face charges in child abuse investigation
Channel 9 is working to gather more details and will provide updates on Eyewitness News.
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