Judge Howard Upchurch of Pikeville, TN; ethical troll

The state of Tennessee presented Howard Upchurch with a law license in 1982 after he graduated from the University of Tennessee School of Law.

The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct found and/or alleged that Judge Upchurch was guilty of engaging in the following misconduct.

The ethics complaint is related to ongoing divorce proceedings between Pikeville husband and wife, Ben and Stacy Farmer, who recently ran against each other for Bledsoe County school board, which Ben won.

• Engaged in extramarital affair with Mrs. Farmer
• Divorce papers in Mrs. Farmer’s possession showed that the legal counsel was Judge Upchurch
• Abused his judicial authority and professional care and abused due process for Ben Farmer through "aiding the malicious filing of the Aug. 2, 2019, restraining order against Mr. Farmer in order to remove Mr. Farmer from his home and prevent him from daily interactions with his children."
• Violated seven rules under the Code of Judicial Conduct by allegedly contacting three 12th Judicial District Circuit judges — Smith, Justin C. Angel and Thomas W. Graham — in pursuit of the restraining order against Ben Farmer
• Failed to promote confidence in the judicial system
• Failed to avoid abusing the prestige of his judicial office
• Failed to act impartially in his judicial capacity
• Failed to avoid personal and extrajudicial activities to minimize the risk of conflict with the obligations of judicial office

As a direct consequence of his misconduct, the cheerleaders for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Tennessee Supreme Court punished Howie by gifting him with a complimentary admonition.  

As we speak (ca. August 2020), Howie continues to sit as a Bledsoe County General Sessions Judge in Pikeville, Tennessee.

In addition, Judge Upshaw supplements his judicial salary by engaging in the practice of law with the Howard L. Upchurch Law Offices at 3173 Main Street in Pikeville, Tennessee.