Alabama probate judge suspended after complaint alleges she delayed mental health hearings to walk her dogs and told staff they “like kissing white […]”

Yashiba Blanchard faces 120 pages of misconduct allegations, including backlogs that left patients hospitalized for weeks longer than necessary

Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard has been suspended from her duties after the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission filed a 120-page complaint against her on May 21, 2026. The complaint alleges a pattern of judicial misconduct and ethical violations that began on her first day in office on January 20, 2025.

The allegations include frequent lateness to hearings, arbitrary docket limits, last-minute cancellations, and significant backlogs that left mental health patients hospitalized for weeks longer than necessary. The complaint also accuses Blanchard of making racially charged remarks to staff, retaliating against employees who cooperated with investigators, and failing to recuse herself from a case in which she previously served as an attorney.

Under Alabama law, the filing triggered an automatic temporary suspension. Retired Probate Judge Sherri Friday and Retired Judge Carole Smitherman have been appointed to handle the court’s caseload and election duties in the interim…

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