Brunswick magistrate faces suspension, removal
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Posted 1:56PM on Friday 8th March 2002 ( 23 years ago )
BRUNSWICK - Three members of a state disciplinary board are asking the Georgia Supreme Court to remove Glynn County's chief magistrate from the bench and forbid him from running for judicial office again. <br>
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The three members of the state Judicial Qualifications Commission have issued the recommendation, which accuses Magistrate Judge Joe Hammill of misconduct on the bench, including a callous attitude and inappropriate language and of not understanding the law. <br>
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Four other commission members have recommended Hammill leave office for six months without pay. <br>
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The Georgia Supreme Court will issue a final ruling in about two months to determine what, if any, punishment Hammill should receive. <br>
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Hammill, 59, has said both suspension and removal are too harsh. Hammill voluntarily left the bench in May for three months and received additional training. He said he would continue his fight. <br>
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``I had to fight to survive,'' he said. ``I'm not going to lower my head. I'm not going to bow to the executive director or anybody else in this group.''
http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/3/197748
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