Are you concerned about a judge being partial to the other side? You may be able to recuse your West Palm Beach probate judge if you are not going to get a fair trial. The problem is how can you tell whether or not you have proper grounds? Check out this interesting case from Texas where the children of a billionaire had the judge recused for ex-parte communications. Do you know what that means?
Ex-Parte Communications
- An ex-parte communication is when one party to a lawsuit talks to the judge without the knowledge of the other party.
- This can start to look unfair, as you will see below in the Texas probate dispute.
- In West Palm Beach any communications should be served not only on the judge but also the other party.
- If a judge is talking to the other party informally and out of the view of the opposing party you may have grounds to ask that the judge recuse himself or herself.
Recusal
- Recusal is when a judge or arbitrator in a West Palm Beach dispute steps away from the case and hands it to another judge.
- One reason recusal may be proper is that you have found evidence of ex-parte communications.
- Can you think of any other reasons?
- What if the judge is related to a litigant?
- What if the judge has a personal relationship with one of the lawyers or parties?
- Do you know how to get a judge to recuse himself or herself in West Palm Beach?
Attorney General of Texas Takes the Heat
- A recent probate dispute in Texas has caught mass media attention because it involves the Attorney General of Texas.
- The son of a Texas billionaire died leaving no will so his intestate estate was divided up amongst his children.
- The children also stood to inherit millions from family trusts.
- The current Texas Attorney General represented the family against the children’s claim of a right to the family trusts and was later found to be engaging in ex-parte communications with the judge.
- The probate judge quickly recused himself.
- Are you worried about ex-parte communications between the other side and the judge?
- You may be able to get a West Palm Beach probate judge recused for improper communications or other improprieties.
Want to learn more about recusing a judge in West Palm Beach?
Check out a local article on the matter in Texas by clicking here.