James Patterson Censured Suspended

James T. Patterson, a Mobile County, Alabama circuit judge, was charged by the state Judicial Inquiry Commission with inappropriate demeanor and temperament and abuse of judicial authority, and was suspended pending the outcome. The complaint detailed conduct spanning several years: in 2019, Patterson asked a jury pool that included an Asian American member if everyone spoke "Engrish," mocking an Asian accent; he referred to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey as "Governor Memaw" in a written civil case order; and he called a fellow judge a "G*dd*mn snowflake" in front of attorneys and court staff. The abuse-of-authority charge stemmed from 2018, when Patterson considered suing the circuit clerk to block state fee transfers during a funding dispute — the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in May 2019 that he had exceeded his authority in issuing the related order. The case was resolved October 27, 2022 through the Alabama Court of the Judiciary, which issued a public censure.