Jacksonville, Florida – Judge Ordered to Recuse Himself from Foreclosure Proceeding
A Jacksonville, Florida Circuit Judge was ordered to recuse himself from a foreclosure case brought by Bank of America's Countrywide division against Joseph W. Mines Jr. According to court records, Mines, who is representing himself in the matter, was close to losing his home when he filed a complaint against the Judge, stating that he believed an affiliate of Bank of America had given the judge a favorable loan interest rate that was not available to the general public.
The appeals court in Tallahassee, Florida required the Judge to remove himself from the case, saying that if the allegations were true they would be cause for Mines to fear that he would not receive a fair and impartial hearing. For the sake of all concerned, including the Judge, it is preferable that such matters be heard in an atmosphere free of even a suggestion of partiality. It should be noted that the Appeals Court did not say that the allegations against the Judge were true.
With the high rate of foreclosures in Florida, more cases like this one are bound to show up in the newspapers. Judges and attorneys alike need to be sure that their personal and business dealing are completely above board in order to maintain the public's trust. Read more details about the allegations at Judge in Countrywide Case Removed Over Claim of Discount Loan.
If you live in the Jacksonville, Florida or Orlando, Florida area and have a business legal matter, please contact our firm for business legal counsel.
