Lauren Peffer

Lauren Peffer, a Broward County, Florida judge, faces formal charges from the state Judicial Qualifications Commission for conduct during her 2024 campaign. The JQC found Peffer exercised "a complete lack of due diligence" when she shared a fabricated audio recording that imitated the voices of two Florida Supreme Court justices and included racist language, presenting it to the Sun Sentinel editorial board as part of an argument that she needed to "rebuild trust and confidence in the courts." She also touted a self-published book by a fired Orlando courts employee that she had not actually read.

Peffer testified in her own defense and admitted the episode was "a substantial lapse in judgment." The JQC has recommended a 30-day suspension, a $10,000 fine, and a public reprimand; as of the most recent reporting, the Florida Supreme Court had not yet ruled on whether to accept, soften, or increase that recommended sanction.