Ashford Replaces Municipal Court Judge Doug Bates

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 4538

Posted by: RStokes
Date: Dec 09 2016 8:54 AM

ASHFORD:      In the recent organization session of the Ashford City Council, the council voted to replace the municipal court judge.

Dothan Attorney Doug Bates served as Assistant Municipal Court Judge in Dothan Municipal Court prior to the employment of Rose Evans-Gordon as "the" Municipal Court Judge for Dothan. At that time the City of Dothan ceased to use Bates as a Dothan Municipal Judge.

Bates, a private practicing attorney, has served in Ashford, Cottonwood and Taylor as Municipal Court Judge. He is older than 70 years old.

Alabama State Law prohibits anyone 70 years old or older from being appointed as a Judge or elected as a Judge. ( In Henry County, voters recently approved a local amendment to allow Henry County Probate Judge David Money to seek election after 70 years of age.).

In the most recent years Bates has allowed the "black robe" to go to his head. He treats the people in court as low life’s, he is very rude and verbally abusive to the people in court. He makes off the wall smart comments towards the people.

In the small towns people are in and out of the town hall for various reasons. Recently Bates treated a man older than he was very rude for having his cap on. Bates is reported to have verbally threatened the man that if he had a case before him he was going to put him in jail. The man was at City Hall to purchase his car tag from the Probate Office that travels local municipalities and not for court. The man was visibly shaken by the outbursts of Doug Bates towards him.

Because of the manner in which Doug Bates has been acting, the Ashford City Council replaced Doug Bates as Municipal Court Judge. They appointed Dave Russaw to serve as Ashford Municipal Court Judge.

Currently Bates continues to serve in the Town of Taylor and City of Cottonwood as Municipal Court Judge.

Sometimes when someone gets the "black robe" it chokes the oxygen off to their brains. And they make some real stupid decisions and think the black robe gives them the authority to treat people less than human. The black robes are worn as a privilege and can be taken from the person wearing them when they forget their mission.

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