TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV\/Gray Capital Bureau) – The Florida Supreme Court has rejected a stipulation that would\u2019ve seen an Orlando judge publicly reprimanded for making a comment about chopping cotton to a Black defendant.<\/p>\n
Judge John E Jordan<\/a> is also accused of berating two public defenders in open court in a way that\u2019s unbecoming of a judge.<\/p>\n On Thursday, the Supreme Court released a brief one-page order that remanded the case for further proceedings, instead of accepting the \u201cjoint stipulation and recommendations.\u201d<\/p>\n That agreement had previously been negotiated between the Judicial Qualifications Commission and Judge Jordan. Instead, the case will continue and could lead to stiffer punishment.<\/p>\n Florida Politics:<\/p>\n According to the agreed-upon facts, Judge Jordan was presiding over a plea hearing for a 33-year-old Black female defendant.<\/p>\n While deciding her fate, Judge Jordan inquired if her great-uncle, who is also Black, could have the defendant work on the uncle\u2019s farm.<\/p>\n \u201cYou ever chopped cotton before?\u201d Judge Jordan asked the defendant. \u201cYou know what that is? You take a hoe and you know out the weeds. That\u2019ll straighten you up real quick doing that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n According to court documents, Judge Jordan denies being a racist, but acknowledges he\u2019s never asked any other defendants about chopping cotton. <\/p>\n \u201cJudge Jordan also acknowledged that his questions and comments in this instance were ill-considered. In particular, Judge Jordan acknowledges that he failed to consider how his comments, as a judge considering whether to order a black defendant to \u201cwork the land,\u201d immediately followed by a reference to \u201cchopping cotton,\u201d could have been interpreted (and indeed were interpreted) as inappropriate, especially in light of the historically demeaning stereotype associating black people with picking cotton,” the joint stipulation reads.<\/p>\n According to the court papers, Judge Jordan said if the Judicial Qualifications Commission had evidence he was a racist, the Commission would make \u201ca far different recommendation of far more severe sanctions, up to and including removal from office.\u201d<\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n