A Broward County, Florida circuit court judge will be suspended starting next week. An advisory panel to the Florida Supreme Court found him unfit to serve. The judge told “exceptionally bad jokes,” showed bias, and had poor attendance.
Court documents reveal that the Investigative Panel of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (FJQC) is suspending Judge Gary Farmer. Farmer is a former Florida state senator and a Democrat. He will be suspended without pay while awaiting a final hearing. The suspension takes effect at 11:59 p.m. on Monday.
This action follows the FJQC’s recommendation about a month ago to suspend Farmer. The investigation began in October 2024 after complaints about Farmer’s comments. A probable cause hearing in December 2024 found enough reason to continue the investigation. The panel uncovered several cases where Farmer made inappropriate remarks.
“Through his extensive misconduct, occurring over a lengthy period of time, Judge Farmer has damaged the public’s perception of the judiciary,” investigators said. “He has shown he is currently unfit to serve.”
One example happened on August 15, 2024. Farmer was presiding over a felony case when he learned the defendant was expecting the birth of three children. Court papers say Farmer mocked the man for having children with different women.
“OK, you’ve been busy. You were just shooting all over the place!” Farmer said jokingly. “That’s good. Do you know their names? First and last? Romantic, are you? Don’t tell Susie about Jane. Don’t tell Jane about Mary. God bless you, man. One’s enough.”
Farmer also told the defendant he would be put on pretrial release and said, “I’m going to order that you wear a condom at all times. For your own good, OK? Probation is going to check. No, I’m kidding. I’m kidding.”
Later, Farmer suggested the defendant hire a certain female attorney but warned him not to get her pregnant.
In another case, State v. Georgia Smith, Farmer sang a song about “Sweet Georgia” and told the defendant to say “peachy.” He asked Smith to sing, “She gets her peaches down in Georgia,” and “You get your weed in California.” Farmer apologized to an attorney for making him laugh, saying it was a challenge.
Farmer was also accused of quoting a comedy sketch from “In Living Color” that mocked gay people while presiding over another felony case. On the same day, August 15, 2024, he made other jokes such as, “Spring is here. I got so excited I wet my plants,” and “What did the shirt say to the pair of pants? Wassup britches!”
The court filing noted these were what Farmer called his “exceptionally, exceptionally bad jokes.”
Besides telling inappropriate jokes, Farmer was accused of poor attendance. He exceeded the 30 days of judicial leave allowed for his duties.
He was also charged with failing to respect the law. The panel said he denied due process to lawyers and litigants and showed bias in certain cases.
Farmer did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
However, his attorney responded after the suspension was recommended. The lawyer said Farmer “generally admits to having made the jokes or remarks.” The attorney explained that the jokes were meant to lighten tension and reduce stress for defendants. “They generally are G-rated dad jokes that are corny but not offensive and were not degrading to the solemnity of the proceedings,” the lawyer wrote.
The attorney also said some jokes were “racy.” After reflecting, Farmer found those jokes inappropriate and apologized during the probable cause hearing. He apologized again for the “racy” jokes.
Regarding the “In Living Color” jokes, Farmer claimed he forgot his microphone was on. He admitted the remarks were inappropriate and apologized.
The Florida Supreme Court’s commission suspended Farmer without pay pending further proceedings.
