Florida high court reprimands Lee judge

The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday publicly reprimanded Lee County Judge James Adams for having an affair in 2004 with an attorney practicing before his court.

As Adams stood before the seven-member panel, Chief Justice Barbara Pariente issued a stinging rebuke saying Adams’ actions during a two-month affair with attorney Kennetha Lynn Donahue undermined the integrity of the vast majority of judges whose actions remain above reproach.

“Much of the excellent work and goodwill generated by our judiciary can be undermined by the misconduct of a few,” Pariente said. “Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, our public’s image of our judiciary is determined, by a degree, by those whose conduct falls short of the mark.”

Following an investigation by the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the high court sanctioned Adams for at least five instances in which Donahue’s cases were postponed and four times when traffic charges against her clients were dismissed.

The state’s highest court ruled that Adams breached the judiciary’s top three ethical canons set up to ensure the public that judges remain neutral and detached from their cases despite determining that the tryst did not apparently affect his rulings.

“In presiding over cases in which the lawyer served as counsel during the relationship, you compromised the single most important source of your authority: The perception of the legal community and the public that a judge is absolutely impartial in deciding cases,” Pariente said.

Adams becomes the sixth judge to receive a public reprimand over the past two years. Two other judges were removed from the bench.

The court has the power to fine, suspend or remove a judge from office. Pariente said Adams’ otherwise unblemished record, long tenure and active community service saved him from more severe sanctions.

Adams, whose robes on Wednesday were replaced by a business suit for the 10-minute public admonishment, wasn’t afforded a chance to respond.

He declined comment outside the courtroom and referred a reporter’s request to a prepared statement released Wednesday afternoon through district court administrator Ken Vellum.

“I regret that my actions have cast doubt on my impartiality and have reflected badly upon the judiciary of the 20th Judicial Circuit,” Adams wrote. “In spite of the appearances, I want to assure you that my action in these cases were appropriate and in accordance with the law.”

First elected to the bench in 1992, the former public defender said Wednesday’s appearance before the state’s highest court would not be a repeat performance.

“I pledge to the citizens of Lee County that in the future I will adhere to the highest standards of conduct both on and off the bench,” Adams wrote.

“I think Judge Adams said it best. He admits he made a mistake and is clearly apologetic,” 20th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Hugh Hayes said. “To err is human. He’s remorseful about it. he has otherwise done an outstanding job as jurist.”

Hayes said he believes Adams will learn from the experience, and become a better judge.

“It’s not anything anybody takes lightly, but we know he is one of the hardest working jurists we have,” Hayes said. However, “we shouldn’t hold ourselves out to be perfect.”

Adams and his girlfriend, Mary B. Myers, got engaged Dec. 25, 2005 — less than two months before the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission’s investigative panel released a notice of formal charges against Adams, and the decision to reprimand Adams for violating the Code of Judicial Conduct.

According to commission records, Adams had a romantic relationship in 2004 with Donahue. She had misdemeanor and traffic cases before Adams at that time.

Adams granted her “a considerable number of continuances” in the misdemeanors, and in some of the traffic cases, the commission said that Adams “dismissed these charges” against the defendants she represented.

Florida Bar disciplinary records, obtained by the Daily News, show that Donahue was registered as Kennetha Lynn Rhodes. Four complaints were filed with the Bar in 2005 against her, in February, March, July and August. Each alleged neglect of a client, and Bar records show that each case was closed without a finding of wrongdoing by Donahue.

Hayes said he didn’t think the reprimand would hamper Adams’ work in court, nor in his bid for re-election this fall.