INQUIRY CONCERNING A JUDGE JQC NO. 2025-001 RE: WOODY ROBERT CLERMONT
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A judge who represents a friend in a criminal first appearance proceeding, negotiates with the prosecutor, presents argument on bond, and offers character testimony violates Canons 1, 2A, 2B, and 5G of the Code of Judicial Conduct and is subject to public reprimand.
[1] A judge violates the Code of Judicial Conduct by practicing law on behalf of a private party, including representing a friend in a criminal proceeding, negotiating with p…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceJudge Woody Clermont represented a friend at a first appearance proceeding in Broward County following the friend's arrest for domestic violence on Ap…
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Supreme Court of Florida
No. SC2025-1319
INQUIRY CONCERNING A JUDGE JQC NO. 2025-398
RE: WOODY ROBERT CLERMONT.
March 12, 2026
PER CURIAM.
Before the Court are the Judicial Qualifications Commission's Findings and Recommendations of Discipline and an accompanying joint stipulation to resolve charges against Broward County Judge Woody Clermont. As explained below, the Court accepts the findings and will impose the recommended discipline. See art. V, § 12(c)(1), Fla. Const. (authorizing the Court to accept, reject, or modify the Commission's recommendations and to order appropriate discipline).
Judge Clermont admits that, on April 11, 2025, he represented a friend at a first appearance proceeding in Broward County after the friend's arrest for domestic violence. Judge Clermont negotiated with the assistant state attorney prosecuting
the case, presented argument to the court in favor of a proposed bond, and offered unsubpoenaed character testimony on behalf of the friend. The presiding judge and the assistant state attorney knew of Clermont's judicial status, but the Commission found no evidence that it affected the other officials' handling of the case.
The Commission concluded, and Judge Clermont agrees, that Clermont's actions violated Canons 1, 2A, 2B, and 5G of the Code of Judicial Conduct. Those canons require judges to uphold the integrity of the judiciary and to avoid the appearance of impropriety, and they prohibit judges from using their office to advance the private interests of another, from voluntarily testifying as a character witness, and from practicing law. We agree that Judge Clermont's factual admissions amply support the Commission's legal conclusions.
The Commission and Judge Clermont have asked this Court to impose a public reprimand as discipline. The Commission notes that Judge Clermont has no prior disciplinary history and that he has been remorseful and cooperative throughout these proceedings. We accept the Commission's recommendation. Therefore, we order Judge Clermont to appear before this Court for the administration
of a public reprimand at a time to be established by the Clerk of this Court.
It is so ordered.
MUÑIZ, C.J., and LABARGA, COURIEL, GROSSHANS, FRANCIS, SASSO, and TANENBAUM, JJ., concur.