Anti-LGBTQ Judge Skips his Hearing
Addison Herron-Wheeler is OUT FRONT's co-publisher and editor-in-chief and friend…
The judge who made waves by refusing to hear same-sex adoption cases just skipped his own disciplinary hearing.
According to New Now Next, Kentucky Judge Mitchell Nance, the man who claimed that there is no way “the best interest of the child [could] be promoted by the adoption by a practicing homosexual,” is either not concerned about the results of his disciplinary hearing, or was unable to attend for some reason. Nance was originally brought up on disciplinary charges because he flat-out refused to hear the cases of queer individuals looking to adopt.
Neither W. Mitchell Nance, family court judge for Barren and Metcalfe counties, nor his attorneys attended a hearing of the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission in Lexington. https://t.co/LgHIc0AI2w
— Our Revolution CKY (@OurRevCentralKY) December 18, 2017
He was due to appear before the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission in Lexington last Friday, but failed to show up. While he didn’t give a reason for his absence, many speculate that because he just resigned, he is not concerned about the outcome. The commission met without him, and has not yet reached a decision.
Nance claimed that he refused to hear these cases because he was following the rule that a judge should not hear cases if they have a personal bias regarding the outcome of the case. The state of Kentucky felt that he failed to uphold standards of conduct, comply with the law, and stay impartial as a judge.
Whether or not Nance cares about this case, the outcome could have an impact on queer cases overall, as it would set a precedent, at least in Kentucky, that judges must hear queer cases regardless of personal bias.
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Addison Herron-Wheeler is OUT FRONT's co-publisher and editor-in-chief and friend to dogs everywhere. She enjoys long walks in the darkness away from any sources of sunlight, rainy days, and painfully dry comedy. She also covers cannabis and heavy metal, and is author of Wicked Woman: Women in Metal from the 1960s to Now and Respirator, a short story collection.