Legal blogs are abuzz with chatter saying that Gisele Pollack, a Broward County judge, came to work drunk Tuesday, causing such a scene that Chief Judge Peter Weinstein had to be called out of a meeting to deal with the matter.
Pollack is said to have come into work Tuesday obviously inebriated and calling for her staff to be fired. Red Broward reported: "The staff tried to keep the Judge off the bench. The Judge's response was basically "f*** you, you're fired."... Judge Weinstein has to personally remove the Judge from the courtroom."
Red Broward declined to name the judge, but Jaablog, an insider blog targeted to lawyers, judges, and courthouse personnel, named her.
Broward Beat likewise named her, reporting that she had been "writing irrational e-mails" lately. A source said that one day recently, Pollack was seen entering the courthouse through an exit door, a security no-no.
Pollack must be well-respected in professional circles, because those writing about her are not cruelly mocking her but rather suggesting that she is a victim of alcoholism who is in need of treatment and support. Red Broward wrote, "No need to embarrass someone who needs help." Broward Beat said "My heart goes out" to Polllack. Jaablog said the incident was "a shame... this is one judge who has dedicated her career to evening the playing field and getting help for people like herself who struggle with a sometimes overpowering disease."
Pollack conceived of a "marijuana court" that would deal with people arrested for misdemeanor pot violations and steer them toward treatment, basically decriminalizing possession, BrowardBulldog reported this past July.
Chief Judge Weinstein did not immediately return a call for comment.
An assistant in Pollack's office said Pollack was at work on the bench today. She denied the reports, saying, "I don't know why they're saying that... I don't know who's trying to bash her." Pollack did not immediately return a message left with her assistant.
History has shown that Broward judges are not immune to drug and alcohol problems. Just this November, Judge Cynthia Imperato was busted for DUI. In 2007, Judge Lawrence Korda was caught smoking weed in a park. In 2001, judge Joyce Julian ran named down the halls at a conference, naked from the waist down.
Here's a video of Pollack:Let's Talk - Misdemeanor Drug Court from Pembroke Pines TV - OCTV78 on Vimeo.
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