The Florida Supreme Courtroom has formally sanctioned Broward County Circuit Decide Stefanie Moon for a number of violations of judicial ethics, ordering a 10-day suspension with out pay, a $2,115.40 effective, and a compulsory public reprimand earlier than the state’s highest court docket.
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In a unanimous choice issued July 17, the court docket permitted a negotiated decision between Decide Moon and the Florida Judicial {Qualifications} Fee (JQC), which had filed three separate complaints towards her. The justices described her conduct as “unacceptable” and warned that any future violations wouldn’t be tolerated.
Decide Moon admitted to violating a number of provisions of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct in three unrelated incidents.
In a single occasion, whereas presiding from the bench in her judicial gown, Moon requested an legal professional—who had simply accomplished a listening to—why he had not returned her name about becoming a member of her re-election committee. The court docket famous the legal professional was left involved that refusing to assist her marketing campaign may negatively have an effect on his shoppers.
In a separate case, Moon engaged in a prohibited ex parte communication by talking immediately with a psychological well being therapist concerned in a divorce continuing—with out both get together or their attorneys current—violating Canon 3B(7)(a) of the judicial code.
Moon additionally made roughly $2,000 in political contributions between 2020 and 2024 to organizations together with ActBlue and the Biden-Harris marketing campaign, regardless of Canon 7A(1)(e) strictly barring judges from contributing to political candidates or events.
The court docket discovered her actions violated Canons 1, 2A, 3B(7)(a), and 7A(1)(e), all aimed toward sustaining public confidence within the impartiality and integrity of the judiciary.
Moon had beforehand acquired a warning from the JQC in 2019 for campaign-related misconduct. “Our Courtroom doesn’t typically come across a judicial self-discipline case through which a single decide has violated the Code of Judicial Conduct in such distinct methods in wholly unrelated incidents. Decide Moon’s conduct is unacceptable,” the court docket wrote in its ruling.
Regardless of the intense breaches, the JQC really helpful a average penalty, citing Moon’s cooperation, regret, and acceptance of duty. The court docket in the end accepted the advice however issued a stark warning: “The Courtroom can not tolerate any additional misconduct by Decide Moon.”
The unpaid suspension will start on a date set by the Chief Decide of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. Moon can be required to pay $2,115.40—equal to the quantity of her improper political contributions—and seem earlier than the Florida Supreme Courtroom for a public reprimand, the date of which shall be scheduled by the Clerk of Courtroom.
