On Friday May 24 the Tuscaloosa News reported that West Alabama Circuit Court Judge Marvin Wiggins has been suspended over charges related to having multiple phone conversations with parents involved in a custody battle without their attorneys’ knowledge.
The Associated Press reported that the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission filed charges against Judge Marvin Wiggins.
Wiggins has served in the 4th Judicial Circuit, which serves Bibb, Dallas, Hale, Perry and Wilcox counties, since 1999.
This is the third time Wiggins has been suspended by the commission in less than 10 years. One previous suspension arose three years ago after Wiggins threatened to throw defendants who couldn’t pay fines in jail unless they donated blood.
A voluntary response to the current charges from Wiggins said he made contact with the parties because, in his words, he was “facing an emergency, potentially violent situation.”
In 2009, Wiggins was censured and suspended for 90 days for violating several Canons of Judicial Ethics because he didn’t step aside during a voter fraud investigation involving three of his family members.
The Alabama Court of Judiciary could choose to reprimand, suspend or remove Wiggins from the bench.
Bibb County Circuit Clerk Kayla Cooner reported to The Bibb Voice that Judges McMillan and Pettaway will be handling cases for Judge Wiggins in the Bibb court during Wiggins suspension.
