Florida Judge Asked If Black Defendant Had Ever ‘chopped Cotton’ As He Mulled Community Service Sentence, Report Says

A Florida judge appeared to inquire a Black suspect if she had ever “chopped cotton” during a proceeding past year, section reports and court documents indicate.

Florida’s Judicial Qualifications Commission said Judge John Jordan is facing a “public reprimand” pursuing 2 incidents past year, 1 of which progressive his remarks astir chopping cotton, according to tribunal filings reviewed by The Independent.

Multiple section news outlets, including News 6 and nan Tampa Bay Times, person besides reported connected nan filings.

While presiding complete a plea proceeding connected July 28, 2025, Jordan was discussing a organization work condemnation pinch a 33-year-old Black suspect and her great-uncle, who is besides Black, nan documents state.

According to a transcript successful nan tribunal filings, Jordan asked nan defendant’s great-uncle: “Do you ain immoderate onshore wherever I could person her activity it for 30 hours?”

The defendant’s great-uncle laughed, and nan judge went on.

“All my family’s farming. They’d emotion maine retired there,” he said, according to nan transcript. “You ever—You ever chopped fabric before? You cognize what that is? You return a hoe and you sound retired nan weeds. That’ll—That’ll straighten you up existent speedy doing that stuff.”

Jordan admitted his comments were “ill-considered,” and told nan committee it was nan “first and only clip he has ever inquired whether a personification appearing earlier him had ever ‘chopped cotton,’” according to nan documents.

“In particular, Judge Jordan acknowledges that he grounded to see really his comments, arsenic a judge considering whether to bid a achromatic suspect to ‘work nan land,’ instantly followed by a reference to ‘chopping cotton,’ could person been interpreted (and so were interpreted) arsenic inappropriate, particularly successful ray of nan historically demeaning stereotype associating achromatic group pinch picking cotton,” nan documents state.

The judge “insists that he is not a racist, and does not make rulings aliases decisions improperly based connected race, and nan Commission has nary grounds that specified has occurred,” according to nan filing.

“However, nan Commission remains concerned that Judge Jordan grounded to grasp successful nan moment, aliases successful nan days thereafter, really his words intelligibly were inappropriate,” nan documents state. “He further admits that his comments were not dignified, could lessen nan public’s cognition of nan judiciary, and could weaken nan public’s assurance that nan justness being meted retired by nan judicial branch is based only nan facts and nan law, and not a person’s race.”

The committee besides described different incident from April 2025, during which Jordan “unprofessionally scolded 2 nationalist defenders successful a mode that that was not patient, honorable aliases courteous.”

During that exchange, which happened “during assemblage selection, extracurricular nan beingness of nan jury,” Jordan told nan attorneys to “shut up,” according to nan documents.

Jordan has admitted that his behaviour during some these incidents “violated nan precocious standards required by nan Code of Judicial Conduct,” nan documents state.

“Judge Jordan and nan Commission person entered into a Stipulation recommending that Judge Jordan person a nationalist reprimand,” nan tribunal filing reads. “The Commission believes that this punishment will service to deter Judge Jordan’s misconduct successful nan early and service arsenic an illustration and reminder to nan judiciary astir nan precocious modular of courtroom decorum and behaviour expected of judges.”

The stipulation still requires support from nan Florida Supreme Court, according to News 6.

The Independent has contacted Jordan’s lawyer for comment.