The JudgeMental Podcast – Episode 39: "Society Loses"
In this episode of The JudgeMental Podcast, hosts Hugh and Christine—two lawyers on a mission to bring transparency and accountability to the courts—dive into one of the wildest days in family court. They break down the drama surrounding a high-profile recusal motion, the culture of courtroom banter, and the sometimes shocking realities of judicial conduct.
Key topics include:
A behind-the-scenes look at the denial of a recusal motion in Shelly Sentry’s courtroom
The impact of judges appearing remotely and how it affects courtroom dynamics
The “good old boy” culture and its effect on public trust in the legal system
The role of guardians ad litem and the ethical dilemmas they face
The importance of zealous advocacy and the challenges attorneys encounter when pushing for judicial accountability
Reflections on how courtroom behavior shapes perceptions of fairness and justice
Hugh and Christine share candid critiques, personal stories, and sharp insights—always with unshakable honesty. Whether you’re a legal professional or just fascinated by the inner workings of the justice system, this episode offers a compelling, unfiltered perspective.
Mentioned in this episode:
The “judge-y” app and website: your tool for holding judges accountable and sharing your courtroom experiences.
Subscribe to The JudgeMental Podcast for more episodes that pull back the curtain on the legal world, and don’t forget to check out “judge-y” for more ways to get involved.
You are listening to
The Judgemental Podcast.
2
:We're Hugh and Christine, the Minds
Behind Judgy, the revolutionary app
3
:that empowers you to judge the judges.
4
:It's pastime for judicial accountability
and transparency within the courts.
5
:Prepare for sharp insights, candid
critiques, and unshakable honesty from
6
:two lawyers determined to save the system.
7
:We need some justice.
8
:Justice, my fine justice.
9
:And I wanna ring, be in public.
10
:I wanna ring, be in public crowd.
11
:Yeah.
12
:Christine (2): Welcome to
the Judgmental podcast.
13
:We were there for the denial
of the recusal motion in
14
:Shelly Sentry's courtroom.
15
:Can you imagine a scenario
in which I'm ever wrong?
16
:No, because it's not
happened on this podcast.
17
:Hugh: My lord,
18
:Christine: I win.
19
:Hugh: About her not recusing and about.
20
:Yeah, I know.
21
:But to be, to be fair to me,
I, I picked the opposite side.
22
:Christine: And let me be clear.
23
:I win.
24
:Society loses like every
single bet we've had.
25
:That is true.
26
:I want be wrong.
27
:That is true.
28
:Hugh: No, that is absolutely true.
29
:And I thought, I mean,
you're more cynical than me.
30
:Is that possible?
31
:It's a little scary.
32
:Christine: It is.
33
:And yesterday, well I texted you Sunday
and I was like, I have the Sunday scaries.
34
:And I haven't had those
in a minute and a half.
35
:Like I did not.
36
:I just had a feeling.
37
:And y'all, yesterday in family
court was truly one of the
38
:craziest days of my career.
39
:Hugh: It was, it was particularly crazy.
40
:I mean, I went to see one thing and then.
41
:Other things happened that we will
talk about on a later episode,
42
:but, you know, it was interesting.
43
:You Yeah.
44
:You, you definitely were
feeling that Sunday and I had
45
:absolutely no feeling whatsoever.
46
:Unknown: Yeah.
47
:It wasn't
48
:Hugh: like I didn't miss anything.
49
:There wasn't nostalgia.
50
:I didn't dread going in there.
51
:I didn't have those old feelings like.
52
:Before you're in a big trial where your
stomach's, you know, has butterflies.
53
:Yeah.
54
:It was just, this is a place I needed
to be and I was watching something.
55
:It, it felt very I felt very neutral.
56
:It was strange.
57
:Christine: I have an addiction to.
58
:Two things.
59
:Sparkly water and
electronic communication.
60
:And I have two phones and a Mac and I
am petrified that one of them are not
61
:gonna be on like silent and they're
gonna go off, or I'm gonna be doing
62
:something and the, the court is so mad
at me, they're gonna throw me in jail.
63
:So I always like check my devices
like three times before I go in there.
64
:And so
65
:Hugh: just getting out and
looking at it constantly.
66
:Christine: Yeah.
67
:And it's just like, well,
I try to kinda live update,
68
:Hugh: oh yeah, I agree.
69
:Christine: Which we can't,
they won't let us have 'em.
70
:Oh, I missed those days when you
71
:Hugh: would just get the
whole, actually, I don't.
72
:I don't miss it for, you know, when
I needed to find one thing and I had
73
:to go digging through all the crap.
74
:Mm-hmm.
75
:Know, it, it was not, it was not in
division two, judge RYS court, but in a
76
:later division when I was sitting there
and each case I was taking notes, just
77
:thinking, oh God, you can't do that.
78
:Mm-hmm.
79
:Oh, there's something we can talk about.
80
:And then the next one would happen.
81
:Then the next one would happen.
82
:Then shit got crazy and really crazy.
83
:It would be, it would be really
something for us to be able to play
84
:all of those things back to back to
the back in the way that we saw them
85
:Christine: in real time.
86
:Yeah.
87
:But
88
:Hugh: yeah, alas.
89
:Christine: They know if the public
saw what happened, I mean, and I,
90
:y'all gotta think about it like this.
91
:So there are 10 motion
hours that are happening.
92
:If the public even saw one of them that
was randomly chosen, they would be very
93
:concerned, would be an understatement.
94
:Do
95
:Hugh: you know what I'm saying?
96
:And you know that that might
be an interesting reform.
97
:Yeah.
98
:Just to have a motion hour picked.
99
:Each week, just one.
100
:Mm-hmm.
101
:And it's at random and the judges don't
know who it's going to be, so that
102
:you might think that somebody is going
to see how you act at motion hour.
103
:And of course, that doesn't apply
to everybody who holds motion hour.
104
:Like we didn't even go to some
because we generally are bored
105
:when we're sitting in there.
106
:Yeah, that's true.
107
:It's certainly specific ones that are
routinely, well, I'll put it this way.
108
:There are ones where we can guarantee
we will find some content if we
109
:go and we almost never sit through
the entire motion hour even.
110
:Christine: Yep.
111
:Hugh: Like we're leaving before it's over.
112
:Christine: And like, before we get
into Shelly, double down again, I win.
113
:First off, it was weird.
114
:She was remote.
115
:I
116
:Hugh: think she wasn't
feeling well, but I don't
117
:Christine: Personally, and this is
my personal opinion, I do not like
118
:judges not being in the courtroom.
119
:I think if anybody needs to be in
the courtroom, it needs to be judges.
120
:But I'm open to, you know, I
guess if you got a communicable
121
:disease or, you know, whatever.
122
:Well,
123
:Hugh: take the opposite
side because I agree.
124
:I think shocker, the judges should
be there, but, if there is the choice
125
:between I'm off, I'm not gonna have
motion hour, and everything gets rolled
126
:to the next week and gets piled up,
or I'm not feeling well and I'm not
127
:coming in and getting my staff sick.
128
:So if my only choice is to not conduct
the motion hour, but I can actually do
129
:it remotely and move some cases forward,
I, I appreciate the effort to do that.
130
:Christine: It was one of those, I think
I said to you, if the general public
131
:saw this, they would be mortified
because it was like good old boy club.
132
:Like Yeah.
133
:Stupid little jokes.
134
:Hugh: So we saw, we saw things in
different divisions that that, that
135
:I think the general public would be
appalled by for very different reasons.
136
:Mm-hmm.
137
:One was just.
138
:Bizarre unhinged conduct and the other
was so over the top, laid back, casual,
139
:polite, and the, that's intentional,
but that it just, I don't know.
140
:I think, I know that it rubs
both of us the wrong way.
141
:Yep.
142
:It may not rub everyone else the
wrong way, but this, I mean, the
143
:demeanor and the way that things
are handled, if you're coming in.
144
:And you are pro se and you see attorneys
being treated the way that they are.
145
:It just feeds right into, oh,
everybody's just all part of one system.
146
:Everybody's in on it together,
and I understand wanting to
147
:not make it a nasty, you know?
148
:Yeah.
149
:Not make family law
any nastier than it is.
150
:Everyone is in that court
because something's going
151
:on in their personal life.
152
:That sucks.
153
:Unknown: Yep.
154
:Hugh: Nobody is there unless you
are getting a hearing date on an
155
:adoption or something like that.
156
:It is very rare you're in there on
anything that you're happy about.
157
:Yeah.
158
:Yeah.
159
:Yeah.
160
:So I get that you're treating everybody.
161
:You're trying to not be
162
:Christine: fake af.
163
:Hugh: Yeah, just the whole, everybody,
you know, I'm just blah, blah, blah, blah.
164
:It is just like this.
165
:It's still court.
166
:Yeah.
167
:Yeah.
168
:It's still court.
169
:It needs to be.
170
:A court of law, it needs
to be, you know, I, I don't
171
:Christine: know.
172
:And it was almost like, to some
degree, I think, this is my personal
173
:opinion, I think it was Judge Ry
rubbing in the fact like, is one
174
:big club and I'm now the queen.
175
:And y'all, I mean, when I tell you
she was not the queen before, she
176
:was really, really likable and good
attorney, which doesn't make you
177
:popular in the G-A-L-F-O-C-B-F-F
with judge thing, you know?
178
:I mean, she, in my opinion,
she was cool as shit like,
179
:Hugh: yeah, yeah.
180
:No, no, I, I.
181
:Yeah.
182
:I mean, and
183
:Christine: now it's like I'm a
queen of like mean girls, but it was
184
:embarrassing as a female watching it.
185
:It was for the sake.
186
:It's like that kid in high school
or school that's like ask a question
187
:for the sake of asking a question.
188
:Oh yeah.
189
:Those people make me want to punch a Pumpy
190
:Hugh: puppy.
191
:You.
192
:Yeah.
193
:And everybody knows who those people are.
194
:Yes.
195
:Just like you did.
196
:Christine: School.
197
:Yeah.
198
:It's pitiful.
199
:It's pathetic.
200
:Well, yeah.
201
:Blah, blah, blah.
202
:We
203
:Hugh: used, we used to
have a game in law school.
204
:We called it tort Bingo, but we had this
teacher that everyone kissed her ass.
205
:She, she was the cool teacher.
206
:Mm-hmm.
207
:She was an adjunct and she had
a cool job and all of this.
208
:And we had pe.
209
:There were just the people
that always spoke up, but
210
:they did so even more in her.
211
:In her class.
212
:So we, you would make a bingo board and
you would put the names on it and oh
213
:gosh, if you got bingo, you had to ask a
hypothetical and use the name bingo in it.
214
:So of course it was always a dog bite
hypothetical, but that's how you announced
215
:to everyone else playing that you won was
you would have to raise your hand and ask
216
:a hypothetically where the word bingo are.
217
:That's
218
:Unknown: funny.
219
:Hugh: Because it, but
it was the same people.
220
:Yeah.
221
:It was easy to predict.
222
:Eventually it got so easy.
223
:It was like the same
five people, you just put
224
:Christine: them across
the middle and you win.
225
:Yeah.
226
:And this is like a good old boy thing.
227
:It was like, so there was this really
interesting case that we're gonna have
228
:to deep dive in involving paternity and
being on the birth certificate and then
229
:these people acted like it was the first
time they'd ever heard anything like
230
:this, which is not, yeah, that was a
231
:Hugh: little alarming.
232
:I mean, oh, it was super alarming.
233
:I could almost name the cases that
apply, but literally they, they
234
:were acting like this is something,
oh, this is a new kind of thing.
235
:But
236
:Christine: no, it's not at all.
237
:But one of the attorneys, I guess.
238
:Stood in for another attorney the
week before, which is so common.
239
:It's insane.
240
:Like Hugh's on vacation.
241
:He asked me the week before,
Hey, if I get anything in
242
:division two, will you cover it?
243
:Yeah.
244
:No big deal.
245
:You know what I mean?
246
:Not an issue.
247
:Unknown: Yep.
248
:Christine: And so this attorney, and
it was like all this buddy, buddy was
249
:just like, your honor, I just wanna
be clear that I was here last week,
250
:but I don't want my name associated
with this case because I don't wanna
251
:not be here and get a bench warrant.
252
:It was like shut the actual F up.
253
:Right?
254
:Hugh: Yeah.
255
:Everybody knows that
isn't going to happen.
256
:It's not possibility's, not
why I possibility, why I, yeah.
257
:You know, in and of itself,
that's, that's innocuous.
258
:It's banter, it's all this, but
all together, if I'm sitting
259
:there from the outside mm-hmm.
260
:If in front of this judge against
any attorney that's just got this
261
:banter and this light, like, this,
this very sorority informal the
262
:tone within, within the motion hour.
263
:It's very hard to think that you're gonna
come in and there's going to be s you
264
:know, a serious proceeding where someone's
gonna be objective about it and all.
265
:Yes.
266
:You just get this feeling that,
that this is just a, you're
267
:walking into somebody else's club.
268
:Christine: Exactly.
269
:Country club literally like it.
270
:And the other thing, half the people
in that room are attorneys that were
271
:very, very, very, very active when
publicly, now, I don't know behind
272
:the scenes, but publicly they were
very outspoken when we in Louisville.
273
:And we did have very, and this is my
personal opinion, we had, we had, and
274
:we still have problems within LMPD.
275
:Yeah.
276
:But there's a good people in LMPD.
277
:But they were very vocal and I want
them to think about what they would
278
:think if there was a recording of law
enforcement talking about serious issues
279
:and just Kiki and he, he, he, well,
280
:Hugh: I mean, think about if
they were in, if they, when they
281
:were in court on probable cause
hearings and stuff like that.
282
:Yeah.
283
:If they had that banter with
284
:Christine: Exactly.
285
:The
286
:Hugh: judge, would you
think that there was.
287
:Any chance as a defendant
that you had a prayer in hell?
288
:I, you know, and, and I'm seeing it
differently I feel a little hypocritical
289
:saying all of this because when I was
in practice and I was sitting there with
290
:just tons of cases and I knew I was gonna
be fighting with people 10 times that
291
:day, and you're sort of, you know, you're
halfway through and it's just miserable.
292
:You appreciate more of
the lighthearted stuff.
293
:You do, but I couldn't
see it from the outside.
294
:Like I'm now seeing it from the outside
and you know, looking at it from the point
295
:of view of how does this look as a legal
tribunal, a place to resolve disputes.
296
:Yep.
297
:It.
298
:It's not a good
299
:Christine: all, just for the
record, I have given him, I
300
:don't know, I've never, okay.
301
:This is, I've never seen the Matrix,
but I hear there's this thing called
302
:the blue pill and the Red Pill,
and you never seen The Matrix?
303
:No.
304
:But if you take one, it's
like, now you know the truth.
305
:I don't know which one that is.
306
:But anyway, he finally took that one.
307
:I took it about two years ago.
308
:Do you, I don't know which one it is, but
is it blue or red or is there a purple?
309
:I think it's blue and red.
310
:I haven't
311
:but y'all know what I'm
312
:Hugh: talking about.
313
:I don't remember.
314
:Yeah, it's but it's been a long time.
315
:I don't remember which one.
316
:But yeah, no, I, I mean, I'm just looking
at it from a different perspective and I,
317
:I can still rationalize things from the
point of view of a, of a, an advocate.
318
:Yeah.
319
:Yeah.
320
:Just, you know, much like, you know,
the advocates in some of these cases
321
:where we think it should go one way.
322
:You know, if, if, like for instance
in this case one, one party filed a
323
:very good motion to have the judge
recuse the other side opposed it.
324
:Mm-hmm.
325
:We're not saying the other
side is necessarily wrong.
326
:They're advocating for their client.
327
:Yep.
328
:They're making the best
argument that they can and.
329
:That's what they're supposed to do.
330
:If they didn't do that, they
wouldn't be doing their job.
331
:Christine: Exactly.
332
:And I do think there were two
people in that courtroom that I did
333
:respect that day, in that moment.
334
:And I do wanna say both their names.
335
:I hope that's okay with you.
336
:'cause we try to, I don't care.
337
:Stay out of that.
338
:But Abigail Green filed an extraordinary
motion to recuse and she followed it
339
:up with an extraordinary affidavit
that's now pending before the
340
:Kentucky Supreme Court and Holly
Houston was opposing counsel on that.
341
:And she was a zealous advocate
for her client as is required
342
:by our ethical obligation.
343
:I think that any attorney, not in
the case that was okay with the judge
344
:staying on, I would have very, very
serious concerns about hiring personally.
345
:Would you, do you agree?
346
:Hugh: Case.
347
:Yeah.
348
:I think it now gets more complex by
what the judge said, led to her denying
349
:the, the motion to alter mind or vacate.
350
:But before I get to that point yeah.
351
:Yeah.
352
:Holly the, the, the, the attorney
opposing the motion argued exactly
353
:what you had to argue mm-hmm.
354
:That this is, this would be.
355
:If you allow this judge, people are
gonna be looking at every little thing
356
:a judge does and forum shopping by
357
:Christine: she made a legal
argument on behalf of her client.
358
:Yeah, I will say the
argument, it got really weird.
359
:Okay, so this is a case where if
you're just now listening, you've
360
:got a custody battle between two
moms and there's a guardian ad litem
361
:that's been appointed, so the GAL has
basically got decision making rights
362
:when it comes to conflicts between
these kids in certain circumstances.
363
:Right.
364
:Hugh: And facilitating all the
communication between them, which is
365
:Christine: just weird.
366
:Beyond weird.
367
:I mean,
368
:Hugh: it's, it's agreed to.
369
:It's not something the
judge came up with, right?
370
:The parties came up with, or the
GAL agreed to it, which puts the
371
:GAL in one of the most miserable
situations you can be in.
372
:In any case, being the person that has
to communicate between two people that
373
:aren't allowed to communicate directly.
374
:You are in charge of conveying the tone
and all of the back and forth and whether
375
:things have been set out of order.
376
:It just, I would, I can't imagine
why anyone would ever agree to
377
:be in that position, honestly.
378
:Well, it would be
379
:Christine: miserable for Berro because he
had a very successful firm where you were
380
:making money, being a lawyer for clients.
381
:But we notice a pattern when it comes to
these people that are Gs and FOCs, and so.
382
:This is an individual that is
appointed by the judge that is
383
:given via that appointment immunity
billing, hundreds of dollars an hour.
384
:Okay.
385
:And so I imagine that it's, if, if it's
as contentious as this case appears to be,
386
:we're talking by the time this is over,
potentially tens of thousands of dollars.
387
:Hugh: Yeah, no, that's true.
388
:But I mean, the choices are.
389
:We get things moved
through the court system.
390
:The court chooses who gets to be
the person that makes the decisions
391
:and does all of these things.
392
:Like the custody statutes, you know,
would, would look at if the parties
393
:can't communicate and they can't
cooperate, or if everybody wants to
394
:try to cooperate, but they want to
have this whole weird family court
395
:apparatus like in the middle of it,
facilitating it, that's gonna cost money.
396
:That, that doesn't agree.
397
:I mean, the parties.
398
:Parties get to have a choice.
399
:If they wanted to just go have
a trial and the winner wins and
400
:they don't have to communicate
anymore, one person gets to do it.
401
:Christine: I think they did,
but it's not their choice.
402
:This is what's so frustrating about family
court, is that there's this assumption
403
:that if people can't get along, it's
because of both parties, and that's not
404
:true when it comes to abusive situations.
405
:Hugh: No, I, I agree, but
406
:Christine: one person, but the
GAL has no business being the
407
:intermediary position, in my opinion.
408
:Hugh: No, no, no.
409
:I, I, I agree that that's
not a proper role for A GAL.
410
:However, if the parties want to have
411
:yeah.
412
:Odd.
413
:Christine: Well, this is weird.
414
:There's a weird part of this case though,
and this gets to the recusal because
415
:there actually was an FOC that was on
the case during trial and the court su
416
:aponte, which means of her own accord.
417
:Removes the FOC then appointed this
GAL, and the reason for the recusal
418
:was because this judge attended
the gal's partisan campaign event.
419
:Hugh: You mean the motion
for recusal, right?
420
:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
421
:Christine: The grounds for the recusal.
422
:Yeah, the motions, the grounds for
the requested recusal and then took
423
:the mic at that partisan event.
424
:So you can see, I think the fact
that the Judge Ponte removed one
425
:party, added this party and then
went to her political event, does.
426
:Up the ante.
427
:Hugh: Yeah, no, I agree.
428
:I, I've never considered that aspect
of it, but the judge on her own
429
:accord removed someone else from
the case and put this person who
430
:was running for office and you know,
who the judge, you know, allegedly
431
:spoke at a fundraising event for.
432
:Yeah, that's a, that's
a really good point.
433
:Christine: And people that are going
through a divorce, like you said, you're
434
:going through the worst time of your life.
435
:There's already this heightened sense
of paranoia when everybody's getting
436
:in, you know, involved in your business.
437
:But this.
438
:GAL.
439
:This was more upsetting to
me than what the judge said.
440
:So the GAL then takes this stance, which
again, we said on previous podcasts,
441
:she should have just been like, I'm out.
442
:I'm out.
443
:I gotta run for office.
444
:I'm out.
445
:I am very concerned about what she will
do in office as far as empowering or
446
:building up the family court system.
447
:The fact that she still
stays in this case.
448
:And for reference, she worked at the
firm for the guy, guy that was like
449
:good old boy earlier in the day.
450
:But she's like, well, we have two bodies
that disagree because we've got the
451
:ethics committee for the judges that
say this is fine 'cause that's what
452
:the judge says, and we'll get to that.
453
:And then the attorney called the
ethics hotline and said, the attorney
454
:need to file because this is an
appearance of a conflict, right?
455
:Hugh: Yeah, yeah, that's right.
456
:Christine: So why did
the GAL take that stance?
457
:Like, was she just being a politician?
458
:Just like, I'm not gonna say anything.
459
:Hugh: Well, she didn't weigh in either
way, which I think from a GAL point
460
:of view was the smart thing to do.
461
:If you're gonna stay on
the case, don't weigh in.
462
:And, and I think, I mean, I think it
had not been said at that point, at
463
:the, at the motion hour yesterday.
464
:I know it was in the original motion.
465
:I know it was argued at motion hour that.
466
:Ms.
467
:Green, the attorney that is asking for
recusal called the Ethics Hotline and
468
:was told that, yes, this, this appears to
be something that would require recusal.
469
:And then, then she filed, it was not
brought up yesterday, so to me, the
470
:GAL raising that, because the judge
had just raised the fact that she
471
:had gotten an opinion on something.
472
:Was just, I mean, I, you know, to me,
I, I interpret it a different way.
473
:I thought, oh yeah, that's
a really good point.
474
:No one raised, no one brought that up.
475
:That we do have two totally
different bodies that are
476
:advising two different ways.
477
:Now, I'm interested to know
if what the questions were.
478
:Amen.
479
:In each of those.
480
:Amen.
481
:Because if the judge said, did I do
anything wrong by attending this event?
482
:And they said, no, you didn't.
483
:That still doesn't go to
the heart of the recusal.
484
:Exactly.
485
:You know, remember everyone
that we are, we don't have to.
486
:Case.
487
:Right.
488
:That's not the standard.
489
:It's just that there's
an appearance of it.
490
:Mm-hmm.
491
:I mean, I have no doubt that she's able
to handle a lot of per, you know, she has
492
:strong personal opinions that she has to
put aside every single day on the bench.
493
:Yeah.
494
:And she should.
495
:She's a human.
496
:You know what we're entitled to?
497
:Of course, people that don't have
strong opinions on things I worry
498
:about sometimes, but the standard here
isn't whether she did anything wrong.
499
:And I think that that's one of
how this sort of got off the rails
500
:is she took it as an accusation
that she did something wrong.
501
:The standard is, does this create the
appearance that you can't be objective?
502
:And I don't see how anybody can say that.
503
:It doesn't exactly.
504
:So did she ask, the judicial ethics
people, does this create an appearance?
505
:And they said no, or did she just ask,
did I do anything ethically wrong?
506
:And if they said, no, that doesn't matter.
507
:Christine: Well, yesterday in
motion hour, I'm like panicking.
508
:I'm sitting here with like my
Donald Trump thumbs, just like
509
:sitting here saying all this stuff.
510
:You know what I mean?
511
:Like, oh my gosh.
512
:On my Insta story, because I
literally did not know y'all that
513
:there was a judicial ethics hotline.
514
:I did not know that.
515
:I knew there was a judicial
conduct commission.
516
:And so I was like, wait a second.
517
:Did she call the JCC?
518
:'cause that's a real problem
if she called the JCC.
519
:That's different.
520
:That's the board where you
file the complaints with.
521
:But so I did find there is
a judicial ethics hotline.
522
:Unknown: Oh yeah.
523
:Oh yeah.
524
:Christine: I called them.
525
:You know, and basically just said,
Hey, just because I do think after
526
:15 years that speaks volumes.
527
:But I digress.
528
:But, and so this person that I spoke to
said essentially, I can neither confirm
529
:nor deny whether an opinion was sought
like this is, everything is confidential.
530
:But what I can tell
you is that if a judge.
531
:Hypothetically ask for an opinion.
532
:That opinion, the judge can do whatever
they want with that me that opinion.
533
:Yeah.
534
:And give it to me now.
535
:Hugh: Well, I, yeah, I, I'd be interested
to see, and it, and mainly, again,
536
:I'm wondering what the question was.
537
:It was answered because it may not have
been pertinent to the motion for recusal.
538
:Yeah.
539
:It's, you know, again,
Abigail Green, you know.
540
:It got to the point where it may have
sounded like there were accusations of
541
:wrongdoing, but when it fir, when this
motion was first made, it was just simply,
542
:this creates an appearance and you have
to recuse because 'cause of that, that's
543
:the standard then it, then it became
something more when it shouldn't have.
544
:Christine: Yeah, and I think that,
I agree, woman who has ever worked
545
:for a degree I, I would hope that
we could unite you as a female,
546
:if somebody says something to you
in a professional setting, do not
547
:ever respond with, I'm not mad.
548
:Okay.
549
:That's embarrassing.
550
:For us.
551
:But the judge did initially said, I'm
not mad at you for filing the motion.
552
:And then Judge Ry went on yesterday
to say, you know, I got a lot
553
:of heat for saying I'm not mad.
554
:So I'm gonna reiterate again
that I'm, that I'm, I'm not mad.
555
:And it's like, what, what
the, an attorney, a licensed
556
:professional filing a.
557
:Extraordinarily well
written, backed by law.
558
:Motion should never make anyone mad.
559
:Do you know what I'm saying?
560
:Like, can you imagine
if a judge was like you?
561
:I'm mad that you file a woman, judge
being like, if you filed a bond reduction
562
:motion in a SA case, and the judge being
like, I'm not mad that you filed this.
563
:That's our fucking job.
564
:It just, I, I could go on a tangent.
565
:It's so upsetting.
566
:Well, it's
567
:Hugh: so much worse in this situation
because it's one thing to say I'm not mad.
568
:I know.
569
:You know, I.
570
:Regardless of whether you're male
or female, it's hard for an attorney
571
:to file in front of a judge that
they practice in front of a lot
572
:of times and ask to recuse it.
573
:It's something that takes some bravery.
574
:You have to sort of hold your breath
and hope the reaction isn't all
575
:that bad, but the way you say, I'm
not mad without having to actually
576
:say it is rule on the motion
objectively and don't have a tantrum.
577
:Mm-hmm.
578
:And, and, and lash out.
579
:Very personally on paper.
580
:Yeah.
581
:Like you wouldn't have to say it if
you didn't react in a, in sort of
582
:Christine: hysterical woman.
583
:Seriously, I care.
584
:No, I don't care.
585
:I'm a woman.
586
:I can say it, it, it's like I'm allowed.
587
:But I mean, honestly, it was
just even watching it, I still
588
:can't believe and I did a video.
589
:I was in Florida.
590
:And I remember immediately being like this
judge, on the scale of, you know, zero to
591
:10 being retaliatory is not retaliatory.
592
:And I, I meant it at the time.
593
:Yeah, I agree.
594
:But clearly I was wrong.
595
:Like I was bad.
596
:Wrong.
597
:Hugh: Yeah.
598
:I don't take it as retaliatory.
599
:I, I took it as she took
the motion personally.
600
:And no matter how many times she says, I'm
not mad, you still took it personally now.
601
:Whether she's retaliatory.
602
:I, I would imagine.
603
:And, and, and, and I, I actually believe
that if nothing else happened and the
604
:case went forward, and it was litigated
that I, I, you know, I've known this
605
:judge long enough that I don't believe
that she would retaliate in her ruling.
606
:In that case, she might overcompensate,
in fact, to make it look like she
607
:wasn't, except for I, I worry because
of the nature of the respon, you know,
608
:her initial ruling on the motion.
609
:I don't know.
610
:I, I might've filed, yeah, I
might would've filed an additional
611
:motion instead of a motion
to alter, amend, or vacate.
612
:I would've done that too, but I might've
filed an additional motion to recuse just
613
:based on the order on recusal, literally.
614
:Christine: And so now Abigail
Green has filed 26 a, I
615
:misspoke in previous podcasts.
616
:I said chapter 31.
617
:But it is 26 a, so filed an affidavit
and moving to disqualify Shelly
618
:from the case at the Kentucky
Supreme Court pursuant to our rules.
619
:And as soon as we know,
we will let y'all know.
620
:And then we just have to remember
too, at the heart of all of this
621
:is literally a family that's
obviously going through something.
622
:It appears from my limited view
of the case that both moms have
623
:zealous advocates for them.
624
:Yep.
625
:And fabulous attorneys
in the circumstance.
626
:And it's
627
:Hugh: yeah, I, I agree with that.
628
:I think I think it can get sorted out,
but I think it's been a distraction.
629
:I think it was unnecessary,
and I think that it's.
630
:It's representative of a lot
of what we see all the time.
631
:I think it was a, it was something
that it was definitely worth
632
:highlighting and pointing out
because it is not uncommon mm-hmm.
633
:For these types of interactions to happen.
634
:Yep.
635
:Christine: I think that we were both
a little surprised where it happened.
636
:Yeah, that's true.
637
:But and it was very clear
from what she said yesterday.
638
:We were in the audience, but that
this judge at least is watching us.
639
:So for all the judges
listening, get to work on time.
640
:Next week we will talk about
the mom that was remanded to
641
:custody by Judge Lauren Ogden.
642
:Hugh: That happened.
643
:See ya.
644
:Christine: That was good.
645
:I'm actually glad you,
we've gotta remember this.
646
:I need to get a little.
647
:Next call.
648
:We need some justice, justice, justice.
649
:And I wanna ring bells in public.
650
:I wanna ring bes in public nor crowd.
651
:Yeah, but I To the fo Yeah.
652
:I To the fo Yeah.
653
:I to the fo fo teaser.