Jefferson County judge removed from bench for behavior
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama judge who handles domestic relations cases was removed from office Friday after being accused of inappropriate behavior that included making derogatory comments about other judges and using fake social media accounts to communicate with people in a case.
The Alabama Court of the Judiciary issued the order removing Nakita Blocton from her position as a circuit judge in Jefferson County. The court ruled Blocton had demonstrated a pattern of inappropriate behavior and comments as well as a pattern of deception and dishonesty.
Blocton’s attorney, Emory Anthony, told al.com Friday that Blocton could choose to appeal the ruling.
“We were trying to keep her on the bench, and we were disappointed they removed her from the bench,” Anthony said.
The nine-member court said Blocton had engaged in a pattern of being abusive toward staff, including ordering them to show her their cell phones so information related to the disciplinary investigation against her could be deleted.
The court said Blocton had a pattern of inappropriate remarks such as calling one judge an “Uncle Tom” and calling an employee a “heifer.”
The court said that Blocton used Facebook aliases to communicate with litigants in a domestic violence case in an “effort to affect the outcome of the case.”
She also failed to promptly dispose of cases on her docket or remedy a case backlog, the court found.
The Judicial Inquiry Commission filed a complaint against Blocton in May. The Court of the Judiciary rejected commission allegations that Blocton was mentally unstable, saying that had not been proven.
Myanmar to hold first general election since 2021 coup amid ongoing civil war
With large parts of the country under opposition control amid an ongoing civil war, analysts warn that election logistics could prove challenging.
Newsmax pays $67 million to settle defamation case linked to 2020 election coverage
The right-wing news channel Newsmax has agreed to pay $67 million to Dominion Voting Systems over its coverage of the 2020 presidential election. A trial had been scheduled for October.
Researchers discover a secret weapon that saves babies’ lives. And it’s not medical
To save the lives of infants and small kids in lower resource countries, there are a handful of tools: anti-malarial drugs, bed nets and vaccines. A massive experiment in rural Kenya suggests another.
‘Can’t stop. Won’t stop’: Documentary filmmakers face federal funding shortfall
PBS has been a home for independent documentaries for more than 50 years. But with the closure of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, nonfiction storytellers have to figure out a way forward.
What’s behind the Trump administration’s immigration memes?
White supremacist tropes and ironic viral jokes illustrate the administration's project of redefining who belongs in the United States.
Trump prompted a battle over voting maps. Here’s how redistricting affects voters
In a battle prompted by President Trump, Texas and California could redraw lines that change whose votes really matter in the 2026 congressional elections.