An Alabama judge was indefinitely suspended after the state’s Judicial Inquiry Commission filed a 120-page complaint against her listing a series of allegations, including making racist remarks about white people.
Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba G. Blanchard, a black woman, is under scrutiny due to issues with how she has conducted herself in court and with her coworkers. The complaint outlines a long list of allegations.
The complaint alleges that Blanchard directed a racist remark at Chief Clerk Amanda Reid, who is white. Shortly after taking office, a new staff member told the judge she enjoyed working with the clerk. Blanchard replied, “Oh, I forgot you all like kissing white ass.”
This appears to have been the beginning of a pattern of the judge targeting Reid. She allegedly moved the clerk’s desk to a less desirable position after she cooperated with the investigation into the judge's conduct.
Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard has been suspended from her duties following racial remarks referring to a White chief clerk — “Oh, I forgot you all like kissing White ass,” alongside dozens of other misconduct allegations.
— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) May 28, 2026
Good bye. So sad.
You will not be… pic.twitter.com/A3PRvk9Y0c
Blanchard is also accused of failing to hold any involuntary mental health commitment hearings in the first nine months of her term, which created a massive backlog that left about 120 patients languishing in hospitals. The complaint says she was frequently late to court proceedings and often canceled them with little notice. In one instance, she told staff she was delayed because she “had three dogs to walk,” according to the New York Post.
🚨 BREAKING: An Alabama judge has been suspended amid serious allegations of racial comments targeting a white court clerk.
— Dee_Lay 🇺🇸 (@DrexelGlen19289) May 27, 2026
Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard is accused of saying “Oh, I forgot you all like kissing white a*s” after a staffer complimented the white… pic.twitter.com/hLWFJsYJmf
Blanchard is also alleged to have cultivated a hostile work environment, according to the complaint. She is said to have told staff she was the “ultimate authority” with “no boss.” She threatened employees against reporting her to human resources and ignored a transfer request from a clerk who needed to visit her sister, who was dying from cancer.
The judge is also accused of showing bias against certain attorneys and failing to recuse herself in cases in which she previously served as attorney. The list goes on and on, but if even five percent of these allegations are accurate, Judge Blanchard has no business sitting on the bench.
If the Court of the Judiciary determines that the claims are valid, the judge could face severe disciplinary action, including permanent removal, which is exactly what should happen.