An Alabama probate judge has been suspended indefinitely after a judicial complaint accused her of repeatedly delaying critical court proceedings, creating massive case backlogs, and making racially charged comments towards court staff.
Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard is facing multiple ethics charges stemming from allegations that she failed to properly manage her courtroom, postponed hearings involving vulnerable patients, and retaliated against employees who cooperated with investigators.
The allegations were detailed in a complaint filed by Alabama’s Judicial Inquiry Commission, which accuses Blanchard of violating several provisions of the state’s Canons of Judicial Ethics.
Among the most serious allegations are claims that Blanchard repeatedly delayed hearings involving involuntary mental health commitments, leaving patients confined in psychiatric facilities for extended periods while awaiting court review.
According to the complaint, Blanchard did not hear a single involuntary commitment case during the first nine months of her tenure, creating a growing backlog that frustrated attorneys, hospital officials, and family members.
Court records allege that on one occasion Blanchard told staff she was late to an involuntary commitment docket because she had three dogs to walk.
The complaint outlines at least 24 instances in which hearings were delayed or canceled, including cases involving individuals being held in hospital mental health wards while awaiting judicial review.
Hospital officials reportedly expressed alarm over the consequences of the delays.
In one letter cited by the complaint, medical staff objected to a canceled hearing that would force a patient to remain hospitalized for an additional two weeks solely because the hearing could not be held as scheduled.
“Beyond this single case, the cancellation of the docket disrupts unit flow, delays care for other patients needing admission which can pose a threat to public safety and places our staff in untenable operational positions,” hospital officials wrote.
The complaint suggests the delays created significant due process concerns for individuals whose liberty depended on timely court hearings.
In another case, an attorney responded to notice of a hearing delay with a plea that underscored the urgency of the matter.
“Just hoping we do not have a continuance because I am so worried that my client is going to die,” the attorney reportedly wrote.
Beyond allegations involving courtroom administration, the complaint also accuses Blanchard of making inappropriate racial remarks directed at a senior court employee.
According to investigators, shortly after taking office, a staff member told the judge that she liked Chief Clerk Amanda Reid. The complaint alleges Blanchard responded by saying, “Oh, I forgot you all like kissing white ass.”
Reid, who is white, later became the subject of additional alleged retaliation.
The complaint claims Blanchard moved Reid’s workspace to a cubicle in front of a bailiff after Reid complied with a subpoena issued by the Judicial Inquiry Commission during its investigation.
The allegations paint a picture of a court struggling with administrative dysfunction during Blanchard’s tenure, with real-world consequences for vulnerable individuals awaiting judicial decisions.
Probate judges in Alabama oversee a range of sensitive matters, including involuntary mental health commitments, guardianships, conservatorships, and estate proceedings.
Legal observers note that delays in commitment proceedings can have especially serious consequences because patients may remain confined while waiting for hearings intended to determine whether continued detention is justified.
Blanchard, who was elected probate judge in November 2024, now faces seven formal ethics charges. The Alabama Court of the Judiciary suspended her from the bench indefinitely while the proceedings move forward.
The Judicial Inquiry Commission has not yet indicated when a final hearing on the charges will take place.
If the allegations are ultimately sustained, Blanchard could face penalties ranging from censure to permanent removal from office.
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