Ground Report

Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge James Michael Shull was removed from office by the Virginia Supreme Court on Friday for ordering a woman to drop her pants during court proceedings and for deciding a custody dispute by flipping a coin. "Unless our citizens can trust that judges will fairly resolve the disputes brought before our courts, and treat all litigants with dignity, our courts will lose the public’s respect and confidence upon which our legal system depends," Justice Barbara Milano Keenan wrote. Shull admitted tossing a coin to determine which parent would have visitation with a child on Christmas. Shull said he was trying to encourage the parents to decide the issue themselves but later acknowledged that he was wrong. The pants dropping incident occured when a woman was seeking protection from a partner who had stabbed her in the leg. Judge Shull insisted on seeing the wound and left the Bench to inspect it more closely for stitches. A court bailiff testified before the commission that Judge Shull had made a vulgar comment on the woman’s inner-wear.