It's Great Being King, er, Judge

Following up on the story yesterday about the foul-mouthed Georgia Judge who couldn't keep her law license current we have the story of the Georgia Judge who spent $25,000 of the taxpayers' money for travel and conference expenses over the last three years.  I report this by way of further evidence of just how great it is to be a Judge and why it really sucks to be a solo practitioner, in other words paying your own way. 

Dekalb County, Georgia Judge Barbara Mobley (pic) has been roaming the world on the taxpayer's dime, keeping it real!  At least her continuing legal education credits are current from all appearances.  In addition to the money spent her Honor also was out of the courthouse some 84 days for travel and attendance at these events.   Here's a look at some of Judge Mobley's expenses courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution website:

$2,643 for a National Judicial conference in Seattle in 2009

$2,213 for a National Bar Association conference in the Virgin Islands in 2008
$2,185 for an International Association of Women Judges conference in Panama in 2008
$1,926 for a National Bar Association conference in San Diego in 2009
$1,795 for a National Association of Women Judges conference in Philadelphia in 2007
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A couple of Judge Mobley's colleagues have over $10,000 in expenses over the same period.  Nice.

I may have mentioned this some time ago, but years ago I was trying a lawsuit in OurCounty Court that should have taken 2 days maximum, but the Judge, who didn't come onto the bench until after 10 AM would announce to the jury every morning that after lunch he had this or that "bar association or judge's conference" necessitating his absence.  We lawyers knew Judge Italianname actually had a  "tee time." As I said, it's great to be a Judge. 

Seriously, being a judge is one of the most difficult and troubling jobs in the world, especially if the person holding the job is conscientious.  Unfortunately, the capacity for the Judge who does little while costing the public, lawyers and litigants alot, remains troubling and no one really knows that these abuses are happening--I guess unless you live in the metropolitan Atlanta area.