The Florida Supreme Court has ordered an Orange County judge who called an assistant state’s attorney an “ass” during criminal court proceedings to appear before the high court for a public reprimand.
In a May 8 opinion, the Supreme Court found that Judge Martha Cannon Adams, whose current term ends in 2031, violated judicial canons by displaying “biased, impatient, undignified and discourteous behavior (toward) the staff and management of the Ninth Circuit State Attorney’s Office.”
The high court’s decision comes in the wake of the state Judicial Qualifications Commission’s recommendation in February of a public reprimand for Adams’ behavior, particularly over her expressions of bias against the State Attorney’s Office. The panel voted in December of last year to initiate formal proceedings against the judge.
Adams also told a group of assistant state’s attorneys that their supervisor was attempting to make her life “a shambles” and that she would reciprocate against the supervisor in the future. In addition, she expressed the opinion that the State Attorney’s Office was plotting to remove her from the criminal bench and that, in return, Adams would start to be “a bitch” in future rulings dealing with the office’s cases, according to the commission.
“Judge Adams’ comments are well outside the bounds of what is acceptable for members of our judiciary,” the Supreme Court said in its opinion. “In many cases, adequate discipline for such behavior would require more than a public reprimand.”
But the court also acknowledged that Adams had no past disciplinary issues during her 17 years of judicial service and has cooperated in the commission’s investigation of her behavior.
“The commission also found that Judge Adams has expressed deep regret and apologized in writing to the individuals directly affected by her misconduct,” the court said. “We accept the commission’s determination that, given this mitigation, discipline short of a suspension is sufficient.”
The high court, though, also concluded Adams’ actions violated multiple canons that make up the Code of Judicial Conduct.
“Aside from generally requiring judges to uphold the integrity of the courts, these canons demand that judges treat parties respectfully and impartially,” the court said.
Adams hopes to redress her misconduct by taking responsibility for her remarks and moving forward on a request to be transferred out of the criminal division of the Orange County Court, according to the commission. And the judge has agreed to a stipulation to the facts and circumstances outlined in the commission’s findings.
Adams, who obtained a law degree from Nova Southeastern University, previously worked as an assistant state attorney in Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit prior to her election to the bench in 2006. As a judge, she handled criminal cases in the Ninth Judicial Circuit from 2021 to 2024.
Neither Adams nor her attorney, Thomas Sommerville, responded to requests for comment on the disciplinary proceedings. The date for the Supreme Court’s public reprimand during oral arguments has yet to be scheduled, a spokesman for the court told the Florida Record.
She is also a member of the Central Florida Association of Women Lawyers and the Hispanic Bar Association, according to the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court.