UMVA has learned that Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard has been suspended after a damning 120‑page complaint revealed a pattern of misconduct that shocked the legal community.
The complaint paints a picture of a courtroom turned into a personal playground, where Blanchard routinely delayed hearings to walk her dogs, leaving countless litigants in limbo.
One harrowing example involved a hospitalized patient who was forced to remain under care for an additional two weeks because Blanchard’s inexplicable postponements blocked a critical hearing.
Hospital staff described the delay as “unnecessary emotional distress” and a needless drain on resources, underscoring the human toll of her negligence.
Beyond the procedural chaos, Blanchard unleashed a barrage of racially charged insults toward chief clerk Amanda Reid, mockingly telling staff, “Oh, I forgot you all like kissing white ass.”
Witnesses say she flaunted her self‑appointed title as the “ultimate authority,” insisting she had “no boss” and could act without oversight.
The Judicial Inquiry Commission listed dozens of violations, including failure to follow the law, bias against attorneys, retaliation against court personnel, and allowing subordinates to partake in harassment.
In response, Jefferson County’s presiding judge installed retired Probate Judge Sherri Friday as a temporary replacement and appointed retired Judge Carole Smitherman to oversee election duties.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the scandal has left the probate system in disarray, with a mounting backlog of involuntary commitment cases and a shattered trust among lawyers and the public.
