Judge John E. Jordan III (Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida).
A Florida judge is set to receive a public reprimand following racially insensitive comments made during a court session. The incident involved Orange County Judge John E. Jordan III, who asked an African American man if he had ever “chopped cotton before.”
The recommendation for disciplinary action was issued by the Judicial Qualifications Commission, responsible for overseeing judicial conduct in Florida. The commission’s decision on Friday stems from remarks Judge Jordan made last year.
As detailed in the commission’s report, the incident occurred during a plea hearing in July 2025. Judge Jordan was presiding over a felony battery case involving a 33-year-old Black woman. During the hearing, the state recommended 30 hours of community service. Judge Jordan then inquired of the defendant’s great-uncle about his ownership of farmland.
“All my family’s farming,” Judge Jordan remarked, according to the report. “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 noted that Jordan’s comments were deemed “inappropriate,” particularly given the historical connotations linking African Americans to cotton picking. Judge Jordan acknowledged that his comments were “ill-considered” and stated it was the first time he used the term “chopping cotton” in court.
“Judge Jordan insists that he is not a racist, and does not make rulings or decisions improperly based on race,” the commission’s findings stated. “The Commission has found no evidence of racial bias in his rulings. Should such evidence have been present, the Commission would have recommended far more severe penalties, potentially 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.
