A federal judge in Texas failed to show up for a mandatory hearing on Friday, complicating an investigation into two judicial misconduct complaints. U.S. District Judge Ada Brown did not appear before a special three-judge committee to answer questions about allegations that she abandoned her office and may have a mental condition affecting her ability to perform her duties.
According to Reuters, Chief U.S. Circuit Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod, who initiated one of the complaints, waited half an hour before closing the proceedings without hearing from Brown. “Judge Brown has not arrived,” Elrod said. “No one has appeared on behalf of Judge Brown. We have not heard from Judge Brown that she is running late, and we have been given no other reason to wait.”
Brown had previously told the committee she would not participate, arguing it would interfere with an unspecified parallel investigation, per the outlet. The committee, which includes Elrod, U.S. Circuit Judge James Graves, and Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses, warned that skipping the hearing could lead it to expand the investigation and issue a final report without her input.
One of the complaints ties back to comments about race
Fox News reported that the 5th Circuit Judicial Council removed Brown from her docket following a judicial complaint filed by attorney Ezra Young. Brown had barred Young from practicing in her courtroom during a case in which he represented a young Black law professor suing Southern Methodist University for discrimination. Disputes between Texas universities and their faculty have landed in court before, including one Texas State University professor who was reinstated with court intervention after being fired.
Young’s complaint centers on comments Brown reportedly made during a show-cause hearing. According to court transcripts, Brown, who is Black and Native American, accused Young, who is Latino, of bullying the Black attorneys on the case. “You’re the White savior, come to save all the stupid Black lawyers in Texas who need your help from New York,” she said, per the transcripts. The outlet noted that she also repeatedly drew attention to his skin color, calling him “white-presenting.”
Fox noted that she also told him, “You are very intimidated for some reason, Mr. Young, with Black excellence, in light of your White mediocrity.” She also referred to him as a “Chad,” which she described as the male version of a “Karen,” and accused him of sensationalizing the case.
Brown defended her behavior in a July 28 filing, per Fox, stating, “I do not believe my demeanor was inappropriate at any time, especially during the candid conversations about race.” She also wrote, “I realize the importance of public confidence in the judiciary and take to heart my role in fostering the public’s faith in it.”
Per Bloomberg, Elrod’s misconduct complaint came after the investigation began. A recent order alleges that Brown refused to manage her docket, recusing herself from over 40 cases for no stated or “unusual” reasons. The complaint also claims Brown has issued almost no orders since Aug. 10, in protest of a recusal letter not being docketed, leaving 78 motions undecided.
According to Reuters, the committee previously cited a string of “bizarre emails” and “racial insults” in alleging that Brown had abandoned her post. On Sept. 21, the committee ordered her to undergo a psychiatric exam within 30 days. On Sept. 29, the judicial council moved to reassign her current cases and barred any new ones from being assigned to her.
Brown was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas by President Trump during his first term.
Published: Oct 31, 2026 02:15 pm