The July 4th Knucklehead of the Day Marathon Part Fifteen

Our fifteenth winner is Judge Richard Albritton Junior. He gets the Knucklehead for the following.

The Florida Supreme Court suspended a Panama City judge Wednesday after he acknowledged asking lawyers for gifts and invitations to lunch and hunting outings, along with ordering one defendant to attend church while jailing another who couldn't or wouldn't divulge her address.

Circuit Judge Richard Albritton Junior of Panama City affirmed those and other violations of judicial ethics in a stipulation with the Judicial Qualifications Commission.

The stipulation said he accepts full responsibility for his actions and apologizes.

Albritton also agreed to the 1-month suspension without pay, a public reprimand, a $5,000 fine and payment of investigative costs that will be determined by the commission.

Most of the violations occurred in Marianna where Albritton had presided before transferring to Panama City in 2004.

Albritton has no business being on the bench anymore. Judges should be held to a very high standard, and Judge Albritton obviously fails that. So does the Florida Supreme Court who administered this slap on the wrist. Then I've given those justices two knucklehead awards before for doing just that. Click here and here. Giving those knuckleheads a third would just be redundant.

For being a disgrace to the bench, Richard Albritton Junior is our fifteenth Knucklehead of the day.