September 21, 2015
Judge Tom
1

Juvenile court outburst lands judge in jail

Judge Joe Brown

No one is above the law – even judges. Last year, 68-year old Judge Joe Brown, who had a television show for many years, found himself in hot water with a Tennessee judge.

Brown was in court representing a client in a child-support case. He got into an argument with the judge, questioning his authority and management of the courtroom. Brown called the court “a circus” and a “sorry operation.” The judge found Brown in contempt and sentenced him to five days in jail.

Brown appealed the court’s ruling and after a year in the appellate courts, served his five days in August, 2015. When released, he commented about his experience, “Jail’s jail. It’s boring, it’s dirty. But I survived. I’m breathing free air.” Something to think about as we go about our daily lives.

 

Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.

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1 Comment

  • Angela Gunnison
    October 12, 2015 1:37 am count( 0 )

    If the Social Security agent erroronously sent one of your ss checks for direct deposit and not the other one and you were waiting to get this check to get your van out of impound and you didn’t receive it until two months later and therefore you lost your van to the impound yard, isn’t that considered mismanagement of your funds? If the as rep had just taken the time to check out what I was telling her this could have been avoided. What can I do now. I’m a 61 year-old disabled widow and i don’t have the means to just go out and buy another vehicle. Now I must stand in the hot sun waiting for buses and walk everywhere.
    Dear Angela: AsktheJudge.infois an education website for and about teenagers and the laws that affect them. We don’t provide legal advice to teens or adults.
    We suggest you contact a local lawyer for advice. Many attorneys offer free consultations so ask about this if you call one. Take a look at our Teen Help Network for resources where you live: http://www.askthejudge.info/directory
    Good luck. -ATJ