Judge Allegra Walker of Nashville; lifetime porker, ethical dwarf

The state of Tennessee presented Allegra Walker with a law license in 1996 after she graduated from the University of Toledo Law School.

Since receiving her law license in 1996, Allegra has had her significant snout firmly implanted in the public trough. Apparently, no self-respecting law firm in the Nashville area was about to offer her a good paying job.

Over the past several months, Judge Walker has been the subject of several motions asking that she remove herself in various domestic violence cases. The removal request cited an email Walker had sent to various prosecutors in the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office on June 5, 2015. (Alanna Autler, WSMV TV4)

In the email, Walker outlined her rules for disposition of cases, saying “the Courts primary focus should be victim safety.” Assistant public defenders argued that the email may well reflect Walker’s bias against certain defendants.

The latest recusal motion was filed by assistant public defender Adam Pienciak, highlights Walker's ties to the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Assault and the Nashville Coalition to End Domestic Violence. Mr. Pienciak’s motion for removal of Judge Walker said in part:

• “Since taking the bench in September 2014, the court [Walker] has retained its membership in two (2) nonprofit organizations that are closely aligned with local prosecutors and law enforcement officers, and exclusively service victims of sexual and domestic violence.”

Judge Walker stated that she would rule on the pending motions for her removal within a week or two. Allowing a targeted judge to rule on whether he/she is biased is laughable at best.

Tennesseeshould adopt the rules in California that allow a litigant the absolute right to have a judge removed from a case under the legal theory of a “peremptory challenge.” Under this law, the party having a judge removed does not have to cite any reason for so acting.

In other states, a judge other than the one being asked to remove himself/herself is assigned to hear arguments in support of the motion to remove the judge.

Belonging to groups advocating for victims of sexual or domestic abuse should in and of itself be a disqualifier to sit on any case. Allowing such conduct is analogous to allowing a convicted pedophile to sit on a jury in case involving the sexual molestation of a child.

As we speak (June 2015), Walker remains sitting as a Davidson County General Session Sessions judge in Nashville, Tennessee.