I Guess That’s How They Do Things in Rural Georgia
I kept waiting for Above the Law to make this guy the Judge of the Day, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, so I’ll have to step in.
Apparently, Judge Brooks E. Blitch III,* Chief Judge of the Alapaha Circuit of the Georgia Supreme Court, signed an order imposing an additional $10 fee on criminal defendants. The money was used to make off-the-books payments to various court employees. And the best part: he signed the order on September 13, 2001, presumably so no one would notice.
Judge Blitch hasn’t been indicted, but the Government’s filings include a description of a judicial order issued by “[co-conspirator] #1, a person whose identity is known to the U.S. Attorney.” Hmm…who could that be.
Judge Blitch also caused a bit of a ruckus when he ordered an $18/day “room and board fee” on pre-trial detainees. Not surprisingly, the county reached a settlement in which it agreed to repay the fees.
* No, really. That’s his name. I saw it in the newspaper, so it must be true.
