US Court Sacks Nigerian-American Judge For Misconduct

By Gideon Njoku

A Nigerian-American Jurist has suffered a set back in her chosen career- Law – in the United States.

April Ademiluyi, a Judge, has been removed from office, and her license taken away from her over what was described as “egregious  conduct”.

She was sacked and removed from the bench by a  Maryland Supreme Court.

Following a “per curiam” order filed Monday, Judge Ademiluyi’s removal was deemed well-deserved because of the seriousness  of her behaviour.

The decision to remove her from office is a consequence of the recommendation by the Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities which members unanimously found Ademiluyi guilty. They agreed that “she had refused training, shown bias towards criminal defendants, and had antagonised staff and colleagues”.

Her counsel’s request that the case be  dismissed and sealed for, according to the Counsel, Ademiluyi was a victim of retaliation, the Maryland Supreme Court disagreed and sustained the Commission’s findings.

Executive Counsel for the Commission, Kendra Jolivet,  insisted during Monday’s arguments that “Judge Ademiluyi’s conduct was not reflective of the judiciary’s mission to provide fair, efficient, and effective justice for all. In fact, her actions were not fair, not efficient, and did not effectuate justice.”

A complaint Ademiluyi filed  with the commission in which she alleged that an order she made had been altered by a  colleague of hers without her consent was the beginning of her problem.

Based on her complaint, an investigation was launched by the Commission. But it, instead, led to charges against her. The charges included that she was  “harassing a fellow judge and sharing confidential materials.”

Her colleague, Judge Michael R. Pearson, from the Prince George’s County Circuit Court,  told  the Commission that “Ademiluyi had sent him unsolicited text messages and emails.”

With time, according to Pearson’s testimony before the Commission, the contents of the e-mails  became more personal which then prompted Pearson to tell Ademuliyi, in a response, that he was “not interested in a personal relationship with her.”

She almost got a lesser punishment when the Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities initially recommended a censure and a six-month suspension without pay. However, the Maryland Supreme Court thought otherwise. It decided that  removing her  from office was a more deserving punishment because of what it felt was the  seriousness of Ademiluyi’s  case.