Judicial Qualifications Commission probes 4th Circuit Judge Eric Roberson for alleged bench comments to litigants

Florida’s Judicial Qualifications Commission says it has probable cause to investigate Circuit Court Judge Eric Roberson of the Florida 4th Judicial Circuit, calling into question various concerning statements he allegedly made on the bench.

In the case of Zoe Wood v. Tatyana Ussin, Roberson, a judge appointed by Gov. Rick Scott and elected without opposition two years ago, allegedly said the following to the respondent.

“This is scary, there’s something seriously off with you…and it’s a shock that there haven’t been criminal charges for this. Part of me wants to ban you from ever coming back to our state, and keep your issues up in Virginia.”

It is unclear how a circuit judge could impose such a ban.

The ruling in that case was successfully appealed, and an order was issued for the case to be heard by a different judge.

In the case of Taheshanoel Knight v. Matthew Kepp (Duval County Case No.: 25 DR 2386), the JQC says “Roberson found that the Petitioner failed to show evidence supporting her allegation of the Respondent stalking her” and “made the following comments to the Petitioner” alleging mental health issues and spotlighting Knight’s “unique name.”

“You can’t keep coming and filing these against people where you’re the one doing what’s very troubling behavior. And having delusions that you can’t prove at all, of someone around, you’re building a record to where ultimately, we’re going to stop you from filing in the court system.”

In the case of Sylverter Greene v. Erika Greene-Raines, the JQC says Roberson called the petitioner an “entitled little snot.”

“God bless you for not beating the tar out of her,” the transcript reads. “You are a terrible human being, and I can look you in the eye and tell you that. And I’m a judge, so that’s a legal judgment, you are a terrible human being.”

Roberson is further alleged to have made  “comments … remarking on the Respondent’s lack of violence and encouraging additional violence between the Parties.”

The JQC says he “granted a permanent injunction against the Respondent, and noted that it was only the third permanent injunction you had given out that year, with one of the priors having been granted due to the Respondent being a child molester. (Roberson) then compared the Respondent to a child molester.”

Roberson has 20 days from June 11 to respond in writing.

He did not give his side of the story to Florida Politics, despite calls to his office and cell phone and a text to the latter.

Upon his appointment nine years ago, Roberson, a former prosecutor in the same circuit, said he would be “taking off the advocate’s hat and putting on the neutral arbiter’s hat.”

These statements suggest a lack of neutrality in at least these cases, though.