TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Feb 2, 2021

The Board of Judicial Conduct yesterday entered into a deferred discipline agreement with Stewart County Judicial Commissioner Joyce Tomlinson. The agreement says Tomlinson is alleged to have “injected herself into an active criminal case involving a family member and acted in a discourteous and intemperate manner inappropriate for a judicial officer.” Tomlinson is said to have “questioned and challenged” officers at the Stewart County Sheriff’s Department about a family member’s case. She was “sarcastic, argumentative, raised her voice, and banged her hands on the table,” and taunted the officer who had investigated her family member’s case, making it clear she did not believe his account of the case. Under the discipline agreement, Tomlinson will resign from her position no later than Feb. 14 and will not seek an appointed or elected judicial office in the future.