E-Mailing Florida Judge Hit With Complaint Over Her Role as Bar Governor

A Palm Beach County circuit judge who signed a controversial e-mail claiming that the Florida Bar had prevailed in closed-door negotiations on judicial reform is now the target of an official complaint regarding her job.

Lisa Small, who joined three other attorneys in distributing the e-mail, also sits on the Bar's 52-member board of governors.

That dual capacity is forbidden by Bar rules, contends Jack Thompson of Coral Gables.

In his letter to Michael Schneider, general counsel of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, Thompson argues that Judge Small's actions were "improper for a number of reasons which include but are not limited to:

"A judge cannot engage in lobbying.

"A Bar governor cannot lobby against bills such as these, because to do so violates the unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Keller v. State Bar of California which prohibits state bars and their officials from weighing in on controversial issues such as these."

Thompson, who has himself been disbarred in an ongoing dispute with the Bar, requests that Small be stripped of her judgeship.

"We can't have judges who flout the law.At least, not another one," he said.

Small did not return a phone call from Sunshine State News.

Bar President Mayanne Downs declined to comment.

For details on the controversial e-mail, click here.