Judge John E. Jordan III (Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida).
A Florida judge is facing a public reprimand after he made racially insensitive remarks when he asked a Black man if he ever "chopped cotton before."
The Judicial Qualifications Commission, which oversees discipline for judges in the Sunshine State, recommended the punishment on Friday for comments made by Orange County Judge John E. Jordan III last year.
According to the commission's findings, Jordan was presiding over a plea hearing for a 33-year-old Black woman in a felony battery case in July 2025. The state was asking Jordan to impose 30 hours of community service. Jordan asked the defendant's great-uncle if he owned any farm land.
"All my family's farming," Jordan said, according to the commission. "They'd love me out there. You ever chopped cotton before? You know what that is? You take a hoe and you knock out the weeds. That'll straighten you up real quick doing that stuff."
The commission said that Jordan's comments were interpreted as "inappropriate, especially in light of the historically demeaning stereotype associating Black people with picking cotton." Jordan agreed with the commission that his remarks were "ill-considered" and said it was the first time he used the term "chopping cotton" in the courtroom.
"Judge Jordan insists that he is not a racist, and does not make rulings or decisions improperly based on race, and the Commission has no evidence that such has occurred," the findings said. "If the Commission had such evidence, then the Commission would be making a far different recommendation of far more severe sanctions, up to and including removal from office."
Jordan pointed to the fact that Florida A&M University, a historically Black college, invited him to join the school's law advisory committee.
The "cotton" comment was not the only thing that drew the commission's ire. In April 2025, Jordan was overseeing jury selection for an aggravated battery case when "unprofessionally scolded two public defenders in a manner that was not patient, dignified or courteous," the commission wrote.
Jordan was "seemingly annoyed" that the lawyers had not conferred with their client about challenges to prospective jurors.
"How much time do you need?" the judge asked. "Can I get you something to eat? Something to drink?"
When the public defenders complained they were being "unfairly treated and rushed," Jordan allegedly raised his voice and told them to "shut up."
"That is rude," a public defender stated.
"Shut up," Jordan responded, per the commission.
The attorney held his ground: "No, that is very rude," he said.
But Jordan apparently wasn't backing down.
"Shut up," Jordan allegedly repeated. "I'm not going to listen to two people arguing. I'll listen to one. Okay?"
Jordan ended up calling a mistrial, saying "I'm not going to deal with pettiness like this" and recused himself from the case, per the commission.
The judge has been on the bench since 2005, per his biography page. The Florida Supreme Court will hand down the punishment for Jordan based on the commission's findings.