The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has directed Chief Judge William Pryor Jr. to cease collecting new complaints against U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon following a surge of complaints. Pryor, a former president George W. Bush appointee, stated that since May 16, 2024, the clerk of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has received over 1,000 judicial complaints against Judge Cannon, raising allegations substantially similar to previous complaints. He called it a "planned campaign."
The circuit council, where each judicial council is headquartered, has the authority to act under the law. The council accepted Judge Pryor's proposal and asked it to direct the clerk to cease accepting new complaints against Judge Cannon. Court misconduct includes treating plaintiffs in a hostile manner and making inappropriately partisan statements.
Judge Cannon's decision to dismiss Special Counsel Jack Smith, who leads the prosecution of President Trump, has drawn criticism from activists and other parties. The trial against the former president has been postponed several times due to the verdicts.
Judicial norms provide that accusations about delays or the validity of a judge's judgment cannot be considered misconduct unless the allegation concerns an improper motive in delaying a particular decision or habitual delay in a significant number of unrelated cases. However, Judge Pryor rejected four of the allegations made against Judge Cannon, stating that they "lacked sufficient evidence to raise an inference that misconduct has occurred."
Judge Pryor stated that an unidentified group of complaints will be acted upon in due course and are not covered by the order. The appeals court still has the authority to reconsider Judge Cannon's instructions.
The circuit council, where each judicial council is headquartered, has the authority to act under the law. The council accepted Judge Pryor's proposal and asked it to direct the clerk to cease accepting new complaints against Judge Cannon. Court misconduct includes treating plaintiffs in a hostile manner and making inappropriately partisan statements.
Judge Cannon's decision to dismiss Special Counsel Jack Smith, who leads the prosecution of President Trump, has drawn criticism from activists and other parties. The trial against the former president has been postponed several times due to the verdicts.
Judicial norms provide that accusations about delays or the validity of a judge's judgment cannot be considered misconduct unless the allegation concerns an improper motive in delaying a particular decision or habitual delay in a significant number of unrelated cases. However, Judge Pryor rejected four of the allegations made against Judge Cannon, stating that they "lacked sufficient evidence to raise an inference that misconduct has occurred."
Judge Pryor stated that an unidentified group of complaints will be acted upon in due course and are not covered by the order. The appeals court still has the authority to reconsider Judge Cannon's instructions.
