Florida Judge Anne Marie Gennusa Steps Down Amid Growing Turmoil
Anne Marie Gennusa: A troubled Florida judge who may be disciplined by the Florida Supreme Court for allegedly abusing her power has resigned. Judge Anne Marie Gennusa of Putnam County resigned on October 3 and sent her resignation to Governor Ron DeSantis, effective October 31. Volusia, Flagler, and St. Johns counties are all included in the 7th Circuit in east-central Florida, which includes Putnam County.
Anne Marie Gennusa, Florida Judge Under Fire, Officially Resigns
According to records, the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission determined that there was probable cause that Gennusa had broken a number of judicial canons, such as upholding the law, encouraging trust in the fairness and integrity of the legal system, acting with patience, dignity, and civility, and resolving disputes quickly, effectively, and fairly.
According to a notice of formal charges, the state panel questioned her suitability for the bench, pointing to a history of abusing her power to hold multiple individuals in contempt, including handcuffing a female victim in one instance and imprisoning a mother of children who were already traumatized in another.
In 2023, DeSantis named Gennusa to the Putnam County bench. According to the Circuit 7 website, she is the judge of criminal traffic matters and minor criminal proceedings at the Putnam County Courthouse in Palatka.
DeSantis will use the judicial nomination procedure to choose her successor. It is a privilege to serve as a judge in Putnam County. Thank you for putting your faith in me to fill this position,” Gennusa wrote.
Gennusa said in her letter of resignation that she was “proud” that the people of Putnam County had chosen to keep her position in the previous election. However, she said that she was quitting the position to pursue her genuine passion.
I’ve discovered over the last two and a half years that practicing law is my genuine calling. Before being on the court, I spent more than 27 years managing my own firm and pursuing cases. I miss guiding individuals through a convoluted legal system, supporting them at trying circumstances, and offering pro bono legal assistance to those in need,” Gennusa wrote.
She said in her letter that she was going back to private practice and starting a Family, Estate & Mediation Law Group, which would include offices in St. Augustine and Palatka.
Making this choice was not simple. Nonetheless, it is the best choice for my family and myself. In the letter, Gennusa stated, “I will always be thankful for the chance you gave me.”
A trend of Gennusa misusing power is cited by the panel. According to the Judicial Qualifications Commission, Gennusa had a record of “abusing your contempt authority” in a number of instances.
According to the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission document, which Assistant General Counsel Hugh R. Brown signed, “Your casual and illegal use of your contempt power in direct contravention of clearly established procedures and law, as well as your unwillingness or inability to govern yourself with the dignity, courtesy, and patience required by the Code, raise serious questions about your fitness to serve as a judicial officer.”
In a statement provided by her lawyer, Gennusa acknowledged that she would have handled some situations better and attributed some of the issues to her inexperience on the bench. She said that in one instance referenced by the panel, she did not go forward and legally hold the individual in contempt. She said that in order to soothe a lady who was the alleged victim in a case, she ordered her to be put into prison. She said that the two were not held in handcuffs the whole time. Less than three hours had passed.
She claimed to have improved and learnt “a great deal” at Judicial College as a result of the experiences.