You may remember reading here during the summer that Alabama Chief Justice Drayton Nabers had stripped Talladega County Juvenile Court Judge Tommy Dobson of his judicial authority. Now comes the next step in this drama, as the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission has filed a complaint against Dobson with the Alabama Court of the Judiciary. Here’s an article about the charges from the Talladega Daily Home.
The complaint charges that Dobson (1) failed to maintain high standards of conduct to preserve the integrity and independence of the judiciary, and (2) failed to discharge his administrative responsibilities appropriately. The complaint springs from Dobson’s having issued a standing order that purported to confirm in advance all findings and recommendations of the referee Dobson had appointed, attorney Jack E. Swinford. The effect of this was to clothe Swinford with the authority of a judge.
The Daily Home article says that Dobson has mediated an agreement with the Judicial Inquiry Commission but that it will be up to the Court of the Judiciary whether to accept the terms of that agreement. At this point the terms are not publicly available.