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Judge Joe Brown Barred From Practicing Law In Tennessee [Video]

By Patricia Ramirez
Published on: 14:39 PST, Jul 2, 2016

Judge Joe Brown, formerly of the TV show Judge Joe Brown, has been barred from practicing law in Tennessee. His banishment came from an order handed down by the state’s Supreme Court. What did the famous and beloved former television judge do to incite such righteous retribution from the Tennessee Supreme Court?

Nothing, as it turns out.

Judge Joe Brown was banned from practicing law in Tennessee for purely medical reason. The State of Tennessee’s highest court has placed the former TV judge on “disability inactive status.” In a nutshell, this means that he (as a lawyer) is disable and as such “incapacitated from practicing law,” according to Fox News. Not good news for Judge Joe Brown fans.

Fox News reports that Judge Joe Brown was barred from practicing law in Tennessee because of complications he’s reportedly suffering related to type II diabetes. The complications, according to Celebritunity (a production company affiliated with the TV judge), has been exacerbated by a prescription medication Brown is taking, as well as high blood pressure and stress.

“[He’s been impacted by] the effects of prescribed medication for the condition combined with hypertension and stress.”

Judge Joe Brown fans can cling to a glimmer of hope in this sad situation, though. According to the Tennessee Supreme Court ruling, Judge Joe Brown (and others banned from practicing law under the rule) can resume practicing their profession once they demonstrate to the state Supreme Court that the disability they are suffering from “has been removed.”

This isn’t the only time Judge Joe Brown has been in the news in recent years. The popular TV judge was in the media spotlight in 2014 when he (unsuccessfully) ran for the position of district attorney in Shelby County, Tennessee. He didn’t fare well in the election. Judge Joe Brown’s TV show was cancelled in September of 2012 after 15 seasons.

Judge Joe Brown also garnered national attention in 2014. That was when he was arrested and jailed (for five days) for contempt of court. The reason? The famous TV judge got mouthy in a juvenile court in March of that year. And he wasn’t apologizing, either. Check out of what he said to get himself arrested.

When Judge Joe Brown was arrested, it was during a court case in which the former TV judge had agreed to represent a client pro bono in a child support case. Judge Joe Brown asked the presiding judge to dismiss the case against his client. That judge, Juvenile Court Magistrate Harold Horne, denied Brown’s request, and that’s when things got real for Joe Brown.

Following the judge’s refusal to drop the claim against his client, Brown became “verbally abusive” and “lost control,” reported WREG 3. Judge Joe Brown totally unloaded on the presiding judge, resulting in a contempt of court charge and arrest.

“On what authority do you sit by the way? As a former judge here, we have a rule in the 30th judicial district that says every single magistrate, referee has to be unanimously approved by every circuit, chancery, and criminal court judge. I don’t recall that your name’s ever been submitted sir!”

After the arrest, Brown was denied bail.

Judge Joe Brown had originally been sentenced to only 24 hours in county jail on the contempt charges, but his sentence was increased to five days when he refused to stop ranting on the way out of the courtroom (he was physically removed).

“This is a circus sir. That’s three days. You can do all you want! Four days. You don’t have the jurisdiction. Five days.”

The contempt arrest and jailing came while Joe Brown was actively running for Shelby County district attorney, and when he was arrested he accused the judge and county of “dirty politics.”

“I’m a little hot under the collar,” he said. “In 40 years, I’ve never seen such a circus as they’ve got down there.”

Since the arrest and subsequent loss of his election bid, Joe Brown has kept a relatively low profile.

What do you think? Was Judge Joe Brown’s banishment from practicing law appropriate?

[Image by Helga Esteb/Shutterstock]

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