Staff Reports
Circuit Judge Mark Hulsey III of Jacksonville has apologized after a new charge of judicial misconduct was leveled against him.
On Thursday, Hulsey filed his answer to a second amended complaint of judicial misconduct by the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC), filed earlier this month.
It said he “directed (his) Judicial Assistant to overnight personal packages related to (his) campaign, using the 4th Judicial Circuit’s own FedEx account,” the complaint says.
“You did not reimburse the Court for the cost of shipping those personal items.” The JQC investigates misconduct accusations against judges.
Hulsey denied the latest accusation “because he would expect to pay for such expenses from his campaign funds.” He won re-election in August against Jacksonville lawyer Gerald Wilkerson after a recount.
But his filing added, “If those were, in fact, charged to the 4th Circuit’s FedEx account, Judge Hulsey regrets that this occurred and sincerely apologizes for not providing better oversight to his new Judicial Assistant. Judge Hulsey will reimburse those costs.”
Hulsey still stands accused, among other things, of referring to a woman attorney by using a vulgar term for female genitalia. He’s also charged with mistreating courthouse staff attorneys and his judicial assistant.
He is also accused of “offhandedly observ(ing) about African-Americans, ‘They should go get back on a ship and go back to Africa,’ ” in an exchange with a staff attorney, according to a JQC report.
Hulsey – first elected in 2010 – has denied the allegations, saying he “treats all persons with whom he comes in contact as a judicial officer with proper courtesy and respect.” The judge also has asked for an investigation into a leak of the case before it became public earlier this year.
