Jacksonville Judge Who Fired Cancer-Stricken Judicial Assistant "A No-Good Son Of A *itch!" Says Chief Judge

In Jacksonville, Florida, The Florida Times Union reports:

• Twelve days before Christmas, Circuit Judge Aaron Bowden fired his 17-year judicial assistant, who had been on leave since August with cancer. The Jacksonville judge said he feared her prolonged illness would leave him without an assistant at a time when the state had implemented a hiring freeze.

• But his decision left Christine Birch, 54, with no medical, life or disability insurance and has created a firestorm at the courthouse. Chief Circuit Judge Donald Moran responded by calling Bowden "a no-good son of a [*]itch," prompting Bowden to respond with a blistering e-mail defending his decision and calling Moran's criticism irresponsible, unprofessional and unseemly. Other judges' assistants were also appalled by Birch's firing. They raised money to pay her rent this month.

For more, see Judge fires his assistant, draws criticism (The woman, his aide for 17 years, has cancer and was on leave).

For other posts on some of the knuckleheaded members of our esteemed judiciary, go here and go here. knuckleheaded judges zeta