Alabama probate judge suspended after complaint alleges she delayed mental health hearings to walk her dogs and told staff they “like kissing white […]”

Yashiba Blanchard faces 120 pages of misconduct allegations, including backlogs that left patients hospitalized for weeks longer than necessary

Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard has been suspended from her duties after the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission filed a 120-page complaint against her on May 21, 2026. The complaint alleges a pattern of judicial misconduct and ethical violations that began on her first day in office on January 20, 2025.

The allegations include frequent lateness to hearings, arbitrary docket limits, last-minute cancellations, and significant backlogs that left mental health patients hospitalized for weeks longer than necessary. The complaint also accuses Blanchard of making racially charged remarks to staff, retaliating against employees who cooperated with investigators, and failing to recuse herself from a case in which she previously served as an attorney.

Under Alabama law, the filing triggered an automatic temporary suspension. Retired Probate Judge Sherri Friday and Retired Judge Carole Smitherman have been appointed to handle the court’s caseload and election duties in the interim.

Mental Health Patients Were Left in Limbo Due to Delays

The Jefferson County Probate Court plays a critical role in handling involuntary commitment hearings for individuals experiencing mental health crises. These proceedings determine whether a patient should be released from a hospital or remain in treatment under court order. Timely hearings are essential to protect patient rights, reduce unnecessary hospitalization costs, and ease strain on healthcare facilities.

According to the complaint, Judge Yashiba Blanchard’s case management practices created significant backlogs in these sensitive matters. The allegations describe frequent lateness to hearings, strict daily docket limits, and last-minute cancellations that delayed resolutions for weeks or even months.

One particularly troubling case cited in the complaint involved the cancellation of a scheduled hearing. This cancellation forced a patient to remain hospitalized for an additional two weeks over the Thanksgiving holiday. A hospital email quoted in the complaint stated: “This patient will now remain hospitalized for an additional two weeks solely due to the lack of timely access to the hearing process. This not only prevents her from being home with her family for Thanksgiving, but it also generates unnecessary hospitalization costs and creates avoidable emotional distress.”

Another email referenced in the complaint described a patient as “lying in bed crying and upset” due to the ongoing delays. Blanchard reportedly did not hold her first involuntary commitment hearing until September 2025. That was nine months after she took office. The complaint further alleges that on one occasion, she told staff she was late to an involuntary commitment docket because she needed to walk her three dogs.

These delays, the complaint argues, not only affected individual patients and their families but also placed additional burdens on local hospitals and undermined the court’s responsibility to provide timely access to justice.

The Complaint Alleges Racially Charged Remarks to Staff

One of the most serious allegations in the complaint involves Judge Yashiba Blanchard’s treatment of court staff. In particular, how she treated Chief Clerk Amanda Reid, who is white. The complaint claims that on her very first day in office, Blanchard asked a staff member whether they liked Reid. When the staffer responded positively, Blanchard allegedly replied, “Oh, I forgot you all like kissing white […].”

Beyond this initial remark, the complaint alleges a broader pattern of harassment, intimidation, and retaliation directed at Reid. It claims Blanchard manufactured performance issues, placed the chief clerk on a performance improvement plan, and retaliated against her after she cooperated with the Judicial Inquiry Commission’s investigation. As part of this alleged retaliation, Reid’s desk was reportedly moved to a small cubicle positioned directly in front of Blanchard’s bailiff. This restricted her access to necessary files, equipment, and workspace.

In a separate incident detailed in the complaint, another court clerk requested a reassignment to the Birmingham office to be closer to her sister. Reid’s sister was dying of cancer. According to the complaint, Blanchard never responded to the request. The clerk’s sister passed away shortly afterward, and the clerk was unable to say goodbye due to the long commute from her assigned location.

These allegations form part of a larger claim that Blanchard created a hostile work environment within the probate court and retaliated against employees who engaged with investigators.

Attorneys and Cases Were Also Targeted

The complaint accuses Judge Yashiba Blanchard of showing bias against certain attorneys who regularly appeared in her court. One of the most significant claims is that she removed more than 140 cases from two experienced attorneys. Previously, these attorneys had been appointed to handle conservatorships and guardianships. The complaint also alleges that she held one attorney in contempt of court without providing proper notice or an adequate opportunity to respond.

Another serious allegation involves Blanchard’s failure to recuse herself from a case in which she had previously served as the attorney for one of the parties before becoming a judge. According to the complaint, she also reassigned numerous cases to her own docket that had originally been assigned to another probate judge. These actions reportedly contributed to the growing backlog in the court.

The broader impacts of these decisions have been substantial. The complaint details delays in estate resolutions, conservatorships, and guardianship proceedings. In one documented estate case, resolution was delayed by at least a year. As a result, this led to additional legal fees, administrative costs, and prolonged uncertainty for families. These inefficiencies affected not only attorneys but also families trying to settle loved ones’ affairs, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders who rely on the probate court for timely and impartial administration of justice.

Blanchard Was Elected in November 2024

Yashiba Blanchard, a Democrat, was elected Jefferson County Probate Judge, Place 1 (Presiding Judge) in November 2024. She defeated Republican candidate John Amari with approximately 52.22 percent of the vote. Earlier that year, she won the Democratic primary runoff against Yawanna McDonald in April 2024. She was sworn into office on January 20, 2025.

Prior to her election, Blanchard practiced law at her firm, Glenn Blanchard and Associates, P.C. In her time at the firm, she specialized in probate law, veterans’ disability claims, domestic relations, and plaintiff’s litigation. She also previously served as a Special Circuit Court Judge and Special District Court Judge in Jefferson County.

Her educational background includes graduating from Wenonah High School in Birmingham. There, Blanchard earned an associate’s degree from Jefferson State Community College, a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a Juris Doctor from Birmingham School of Law. She has remained active in the community. Blanchard’s roles include serving as a trustee at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.

The formal complaint alleges that many of the issues outlined began on her first day in office. It has persisted throughout her tenure as presiding judge.

The Complaint Details Seven Primary Charges

The formal complaint filed by the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission outlines seven primary categories of alleged misconduct against Judge Yashiba Blanchard. These charges form the foundation of the case and address both her judicial performance and administrative leadership.

The seven categories are as follows:

1. Failing to diligently discharge judicial duties, including frequent lateness, strict docket limits, last-minute cancellations, and creating significant backlogs.
2. Failing to follow the law.
3. Exhibiting bias against attorneys appearing in her court.
4. Failing to disqualify herself from a case in which she previously served as attorney.
5. Harassment, intimidation, and retaliation against probate court staff.
6. Allowing other court officials under her direction to engage in harassment and intimidation of staff.
7. Failing to maintain professional competence in judicial administration.

According to the complaint, these actions collectively violate multiple provisions of the Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics. The document provides dozens of specific examples. It was supported by emails, case numbers, and detailed timelines. It argues that Blanchard’s alleged conduct not only harmed individual litigants, patients, and court employees. However, it also created unnecessary backlogs and eroded public confidence in the integrity of the Jefferson County Probate Court.

The Impact on Jefferson County

Jefferson County is the most populous county in Alabama and includes the city of Birmingham. Its Probate Court plays a vital role in the lives of residents. The court handles sensitive matters that affect some of the community’s most vulnerable populations. These include involuntary mental health commitments, guardianships and conservatorships for incapacitated individuals, estate administrations, and serving as the county’s chief election officials.

Delays and disruptions in these services can have serious real-world consequences. Families may face prolonged uncertainty when settling estates, patients in mental health facilities may remain hospitalized longer than necessary, and individuals needing guardianships can experience extended legal and financial hardships. The complaint suggests these issues were not isolated but reflected broader administrative problems within the court.

The appointment of retired judges to take over the caseload underscores the severity of the situation and the need to maintain court operations during the investigation. If the allegations are substantiated, they point to systemic challenges rather than minor issues. The case remains ongoing, and the Alabama Court of the Judiciary will ultimately decide Judge Blanchard’s future. Possible outcomes range from reprimand or censure to suspension without pay or removal from office. Blanchard could also be cleared of the charges. The full process is expected to take several months.

What Happens Next

The case is now before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary, the body responsible for adjudicating formal complaints against judges. This nine-member court is currently led by Judge William Cole of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. It includes a mix of sitting judges and attorneys. The Judicial Inquiry Commission serves as the prosecutor in the case.

Judge Yashiba Blanchard has 30 days from the filing to submit a formal response to the 120-page complaint. No hearing date has been publicly scheduled yet. Meanwhile, Blanchard has not issued a detailed public response. She declined to comment directly to the media. However, she stated that her attorney or publicist would handle any statements on her behalf.

In the meantime, the suspension remains in effect as an automatic and temporary measure under Alabama law. Retired Probate Judge Sherri Friday and Retired Judge Carole Smitherman continue to manage the court’s daily operations to ensure that critical services — including mental health hearings, estate matters, and election duties — are not further disrupted.