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In the Matter of:DOROTHEA BATISTE,Jefferson County Circuit Jud_ge

COMPLAINT

The Judicial Inquiry C o m m i s s ~ , o n of the State of Alabama files thisa_gainst Judge Dorothea Batiste, ' C i r c ~ f Judge for Jefferson County, Alab

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'Commission alleges and char.ges f o l l o w s ;Nature ofihe Charges

]_ Dorothea Batiste is a Circuit Jud_ge for Jefferson County., Alabamaelected in 2010 and took office in January., 2011. Judge Batiste is one of th

. ~ . ~assignedto the Domestic Relations Division of he Jefferson Counzy Circuit C2. This Complaint is based upon Judge Batiste"'s violation of Alabama

Judicial Ethics through her repeated failure in 2011 and 2012 to complyAlabama .and federal law regarding her exercise of contempt power, specifically, her failure to comply "With Rule 70A, Alabama Rules of Civil Alabama case law, and the Due Process Clauses of the Alabama ConstitutiFourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, in a .series of domestic relatin Jefferson County Circuit Court ("the subject cases") in which Judge Bati

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witnesses, Judge Batiste through a repeated pattern and practice violated Cwhich provides:

A judge should accord to every person who is legally interesteda proceeding, or his lawyer, full right to be heard according law[.]

Charge 29(Canon 1)

146. By failing to comply with Alabama and federal law regarding heof contempt power in the subject cases and by entering orders in those cases dirunauthorized, unwarranted, and unlawful arrest and jailing or incarceration of lwitnesses, Judge Batiste through a repeated pattern and practice violated Cwhich provides:

A judge should . . . observe high standards of conduct so that tintegrity and independence of the judiciary may be preserved.

Charge 30(Canon 2B)

147. By failing to comply with Alabama and federal law regarding heof contempt power in the subject cases and by entering orders in those cases dirunauthorized, unwarranted, and unlawful arrest and jailing or incarceration of lwitnesses, Judge Batiste through a repeated pattern and practice violated Cwhich provides:

A judge . . . should avoid conduct prejudicial to the administratiof ustice which brings the judicial office into disrepute.

-rl..Done this L!l__:day ofApril, 2013.

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