Case Intel
- A Georgia probate judge admits to years of delays but insists removal is “absolutely wrong.”
- One ruling sat on his desk for seven years, drawing outrage from litigants and watchdogs.
- Judicial watchdogs weigh immediate removal as critics say delays undermine justice statewide.
By SAMUEL LOPEZ
USA HERALD — August 29, 2025
When judges take the bench, they shoulder an immense responsibility: to interpret the law, protect rights, and ensure that cases move forward in a timely manner. The promise of justice is not only about fairness in rulings but also about delivering those rulings when people need them most.
In Georgia, that promise has been shattered by Chatham County Probate Judge Thomas Bordeaux, who admitted this week to years-long delays in issuing rulings and decisions but still insists, “it would be absolutely wrong to remove me.”
The 71-year-old judge defended himself before the state’s Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC), arguing that his removal “would only send his Savannah-area office into further disarray.”
He went so far as to suggest, “Ms. Veal mentioned suspending me from office. Please — suspend me from office so I can go home and get some sleep, or go out and hike. That doesn’t help the court. If I can’t go into work, less work gets done, so that would not make any sense.”
But critics, myself included, see the situation very differently. The amount of harm this judge did to people with cases before him far outweighs any disruption that his immediate removal would cause. This type of conduct from our judicial officers cannot be tolerated any further. Without real consequences, this type of behavior will continue with other judges following his lead.
