Judge of the Day: Bruce S. Lamdin
Maryland Associate Judge Bruce Lamdin likes to run his court in the model of a mean-spirited stand-up comedy routine. He has spouted off nasty comments about defendants, judges, and Maryland's Circuit Court. Yesterday, the Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities sanctioned him [PDF], suspending him for 30 days without pay.
Here are some of Judge Lamdin's comic stylings offending statements from the bench:
"If she only knew how much I hate kids, she would not have brought that kid in here today.""What's the big rush to get back to Pennsylvania? It's an ugly state."
"Well, you know, I got in trouble because I told some lady we confiscate cell phones and we put the cell phones in plastic bags and send them down to Annapolis. I suggested maybe we ought to do the same thing with children except poke holes in the bag. She filed a complaint against me for that so that's why they keep all of the children out of my courtroom now. . . We ordered some plastic bags about five foot tall but they haven't been — they haven't come in yet."
"Would you like some cheese with that whine because I’ve heard about all that I wish to hear."
"I didn't even know they had afternoon hours in the Circuit Court. . . . They are usually done by lunchtime and then they take the rest of the day off."
"Did he get his head out of where he had it inserted earlier today, Mr. Chase?"
"‘Who put up your bond money for you, your pimp? . . . Business must be good. . . . If I were to release you, you'd be scratching that itch tonight. . . . Ma'am you can't bullshit a bullshitter. . . . You may be able to get some crack down there. . . . Never know about Charm City. Those guards down there provide services for services. . . . I should just let you go to Baltimore City, they’ll give you the key to the city and then send you on your way. . . . They don’t do anything to them for prostitution down in Baltimore City, they give them one of those BELIEVE stickers to put on their backs. . . ."
The list of comments goes on. Looks like Lamdin was letting his id run rampant.
For more background on the case, see this Baltimore CIty Paper article. Colleagues says he is a good and decent judge, with a politically-incorrect sense of humor. Indeed.
University of Maryland law prof Andrew Levy tells the Baltimore Sun that "being a judge is not a license to be rude and abusive to people." Maybe Lamdin should try blogging?
IN RE: HONORABLE BRUCE S. LAMDIN [PDF]
Bench Talk - Baltimore County Judge's Mouth Gets Him in Trouble [Baltimore City Paper]
Judge punished for profanity [Baltimore Sun]
(29) Comments
This is the city paper story: http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=13521 A lot of people have problems with the Freerepublic site, let alone accessing it from work.
And...first?
Oh SNAP - that is so CRAZY that the judge said those things!!!!!!
For the love of chickens, isn't there anything more interesting to post today?
FIRST to request BIKINI photos!
The majority of his comments are not that bad. God forbid a judge give a repeat-offender-defendant some tough love.
This judge is old mutual.
So he hates hookers, cell phones in court, kids in court (or perhaps in general), Pennsylvania, whiners, lazy state court judges, and people who have their heads up their asses. So what's the problem? Seriously. Maybe hating kids and Pennsylvania is based on experience. This is the weakest case that resulted in a judicial reprimand ever. Lame lame lame.
He's funny. The last comment seems a little over the top, but the rest I wouldn't really get too upset about.
Don't bring kids to court, people.
"being a judge is not a license to be rude and abusive to people."
Tell that to Judges Judy, Alex, Mathis, Joe Brown, Hatchett, Milian, Maria Lopez, and Dredd.
I read this opinion on teh toilet this morning. Next.
He's an AU grad. What did you expect?
hahhahahah He watches too much Judge Judy
ENOUGH with the strikethrough text! It's not funny anymore!!!
There is no such thing as an Associate Judge. He's a district court judge, which is the lowest trial court in MD.
Can I get 30 days off? I don’t care if its unpaid.
BOHICA!
DOMINATE the Bar Exam.
www.dominatethebar.com
In his defense, Pennsylvania really is ugly, and most criminals' kids are ugly, poorly behaved, and damn annoying.
DOMINATE the Bar Exam (the 14th time, barely)
http://www.cabarexamrepeatersresource.com/
It's a Commonwealth, you know. Just like Mass, Kentucky, and Virginia.
11:41,
I have heard that commonwealth crap spouted proudly by residents of those states more than once.
/Adam Bulletproof Reposa gesture
I second the Judge's feelings about Pennsylvania. It is impossible to drive there, the people have no clue how to drive.
I can however see why these comments are inappropriate. For most people a day in court (as a party to the case) is very stressful, and this guy's jokes aren't necessary. They just make someones bad day even worse.
Funny guy, should definitely blog.
But Pennsylvania does have UPenn State.
Not exactly 12:14. It's PennState-Philly, or PS-P for short.
" [B]eing a judge is not a license to be rude and abusive to people."
Uh, actually, it is. It's also a license to throw them into jail and/or fine them hefty sums should they respond in kind. Being a judge is great.
12:21=NJ driver
LOL at the terrible attempt as sassiness with the cheese & whine crack.
12:49= UPenn State grade who can't tell time.
hes a MD grad not AU
http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/32dc/html/msa13938.html
Well, after reading that, I realized that my first sanction is inevitable.
God forbid that Circuit Court judges get called out for their laziness. It's also apparent that the Judicial Commission and Court of Appeals were really upset over the lack of groveling the judge did at his hearing. Where's the strong arming defendants into plea deals, making favorbale rulings for campaign contributors, making female attorneys cry, and overtly racist comments that constitute real judicial misconduct?
Sincerely, BSL (Hon.)