An Alabama probate judge has been suspended after a bombshell 120-page complaint accused her of repeatedly delaying critical court hearings, making racially charged remarks, and creating what investigators described as a chaotic and hostile environment inside the courthouse. Moreover, the judge was also accused of prioritizing dog walking as one of the reasons for delayed court hearings.
Yashiba Blanchard, a probate judge in Jefferson County, Alabama, was removed from the bench Thursday following a lengthy investigation into her conduct while overseeing cases involving mental health commitments, conservatorships, and guardianships.
According to the complaint, Blanchard routinely failed to manage hearings in a timely manner, with some delays allegedly leaving vulnerable patients hospitalized far longer than necessary. In one of the most disturbing incidents outlined in the report, a patient remained hospitalized for an additional two weeks after a scheduled hearing was abruptly canceled and not promptly rescheduled.
Hospital staff reportedly warned the court in an email that the delay prevented the patient from spending Thanksgiving with family while also causing “unnecessary hospitalization costs” and “avoidable emotional distress.” The complaint further alleged that the backlog of delayed hearings disrupted hospital operations and even posed potential public safety concerns.
Investigators also accused Blanchard of repeatedly arriving late to hearings. In one cited example, she allegedly told staff she was delayed because she had “three dogs to walk” before appearing in court. The complaints also detailed allegations of retaliation and harassment against court staff. In one instance, Blanchard allegedly made a racist remark about the court’s white chief clerk, Amanda Reid. After another employee complimented Reid, the judge allegedly responded, “Oh, I forgot you all like kissing white a[expletive].”
The judge has drawn much outrage online
Blanchard has not publicly commented on the allegations. Despite the suspension, people online have plenty of further complaints toward the judge based on the results of the investigation. Even pet owners had to chime in, and some questioned the judge’s excuse for being late. “So she couldn’t pay someone to walk her dogs?” asks an X user.
Other people believe that a harsher punishment should have been imposed. “People are waiting on their freedom and their futures. Putting real lives on hold so her dogs can sniff trees is a sick behavior. Don’t suspend her, permanently strip the robe. Fire her now,” claims another X user. Blanchard’s videos, which have surfaced online following the controversy, have also put her credibility in question, with one commenter asking, “Wow is she a judge or tik tocker?”
Meanwhile, Blanchard’s allegedly racist remarks have stirred up conservatives online and have given certain extremist groups ammunition for their own rhetoric. Some suspicious commenters even left some worrying remarks of their own, such as, “Get all these DEI porch monkeys off the bench and in prison!!!” and “Get these black judges out! I don’t know how you go about doing it but they all need to be freaking removed from the bench. They’re probably all DEI but they’re all disgusting.”
