On September 17, 2015, Circuit Judge Wiggins from Perry County Alabama threatened defendants who appeared before him for a previously scheduled “pay-due” docket. He informed them, “If you do not have any money and you do not want to go to jail…you can give blood today…bring in a receipt indicating that you gave blood…” At the mobile blood bank outside the courthouse, 41 of the 47 blood donations were made by defendants on Judge Wiggins’ docket.
Holding
The Alabama Court of the Judiciary censured Judge Wiggins and taxed costs on the proceedings.
You can read the full text of the complaints and the decision via the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Date of Complaint: October 2015
Date of Decision: January 2016