Jesse Scheckner
Judge Gary Farmer won’t be hearing cases as his own gets underway.
The Florida Supreme Court has suspended Farmer — without pay — as he faces judicial misconduct charges stemming from a series of documented actions and remarks he made from the Broward Circuit bench.
The high court approved the recommendation of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission’s (JQC) Investigative Panel and formally suspended Farmer, pending resolution of disciplinary proceedings.
The effective date is May 19.
The court instructed the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit’s Court Administrator to submit the necessary paperwork for processing the suspension. It also urged the JQC to expedite the remaining proceedings “in a manner consistent with the Commission’s rules and the procedural rights of the respondent.”
The suspension marks the latest in a series of events that unfolded over the past year involving Farmer, a Democrat and former Senate Democratic Leader, and his atypical approach to presiding over judicial proceedings.
The JQC launched an inquiry into Farmer’s conduct in late 2024 following a series of complaints that resulted in his reassignment from the Broward Circuit’s criminal division to its civil court. That investigation culminated in formal charges that he had engaged in inappropriate behavior and made lewd comments while presiding over cases.
The panel concluded that Farmer was “unfit to serve” due to behavior that included repeatedly making inappropriate and sexual comments from the bench and engaging in other conduct that diminished public confidence in the judiciary.
Among the incidents cited were remarks directed at attorneys and courtroom observers that the JQC described as “discriminatory, offensive, sexually charged, and demeaning.”
That included references to ejaculate, suggesting a defendant would impregnate his defense lawyer, reciting homoerotic quotes from an “In Living Color” sketch and several instances where the JQC said he unduly exceeded his judicial role.
Farmer, who was elected to the bench in 2022, has pushed back against the allegations. In a legal filing last week, he requested a trial over the matter and asked to remain on the bench during the proceedings. His legal team maintained that the charges are exaggerated and his comments were mischaracterized or taken out of context.
The Supreme Court opted instead for immediate suspension.
Farmer’s background in Florida politics and law has made this case particularly high-profile. As a legislator, he served as Senate Democratic Leader and was known for his sharp rhetoric and partisan clashes. His transition to the judiciary was viewed as a significant career pivot, but one now marred by controversy.
Should the JQC’s full panel recommend removal and the Florida Supreme Court concurs, Farmer could be permanently barred from serving as a Judge in the state.
