A disciplinary case against former Orange County Circuit Judge Jeff Ashton has been dismissed following his recent election loss and his agreement not to seek further judicial office.
Ashton, who served as State Attorney before being elected as a judge in the 9th Judicial Circuit in 2018, lost his re-election bid in November. The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) had filed a complaint against him in October, alleging inappropriate conduct in court.
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The JQC accused Ashton of “behaving intemperately,” including shouting at people in court, and showing bias towards certain parties or attorneys. Ashton denied these allegations.
However, with Ashton’s departure from the bench on December 31st, 2024, and his agreement not to pursue any further judicial positions, the JQC has decided to dismiss the case.
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“Judge Ashton’s departure from judicial office on December 31, 2024, and his agreement to not hold further judicial office or senior judge status,” were cited as the reasons for dismissal.
Ashton previously served as a state attorney and gained prominence for his role in prosecuting Casey Anthony. His time on the bench has now come to an end with the dismissal of the disciplinary case.
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