Alabama Probate Judge Suspended After 120-Page Complaint Accuses Her of Delaying Hearings to Walk Dogs, Making Racist Comments About White Staff, and Worse

Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba G. Blanchard was suspended on May 21, the same day the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission filed formal charges against her with the Court of the Judiciary. The complaint details a pattern of abuse of power, docket mismanagement, bias, intimidation, and retaliation that harmed patients, families, and court staff. One of the allegations involves Blanchard’s handling of involuntary commitment and guardianship cases. The complaint claims she routinely delayed or canceled probable cause hearings, creating a massive backlog. In one case, hospital staff repeatedly contacted her office begging for a hearing so a patient could be discharged...