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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.

Remove Judge Hitzemann

Remove Judge Hitzemann

Closed — 58 supporters Verified

Final supporters

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Nettie H.
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Someone
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Crystal A.
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William M.
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Austin R.
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Robyn R.
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Maggie A.
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Anthony R.
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Shawn N.
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Someone
+48 more
Started by Anonymous 14 years, 7 months ago
According to an investigation by RealNewsRealFast and The DAF Report, Hernando County Judge Kurt Hitzemann has violated the Florida Judicial Code of Ethics. Judge Hitzemann's ability to remain impartial while ruling on domestic violence cases is not possible due to his direct affiliation with the non-profit women’s advocacy group the Dawn Center. Judge Hitzemann is a member of the board of directors and rules on the majority of domestic violence cases; the Dawn Center advocates work directly with alleged victims of DV in both a criminal and civil capacity. They provide legal advice to alleged victims and act as a liaison for the state during court proceedings. In most cases Judge Hitzemann orders defendant’s, as an alternative to jail time, probation and batterer’s intervention class. This offer is presented as leniency by the judge, but defendants are not aware that portions of their fees each month go directly to the Dawn Center. The Dawn Center benefits financially from this relationship by receiving forced proceeds; Judge Hitzemann benefits by receiving the majority of the female vote, thus solidifying his re-election. Due to this clear conflict we are petitioning the community in an attempt to gain support to request the removal of Judge Hitzemann from the bench. http://www.realnewsrealfast.com/article.php/did-judge-hitzemann-violate-ethics-rules-who-really-decides-your-fate-15636 http://www2.hernandotoday.com/news/news/2012/feb/04/hanewso1-judges-role-in-domestic-abuse-cases-quest-ar-354953/?referer=http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fhernandotoday.com%2Far%2F354953%2F&h=9AQE00MTTAQFCVqC_oX0uuiQ4lulZeKbv-lkDlMn7nlQkug&enc=AZNBYX8cvxUv-f1gOh1-OhsgDu1hdpQjmaFMBVdOsDPGyC4Nbd5TtszjZdtSSGCj9MKKAcfQ12MgxzifqdGKoihf&shorturl=http://bit.ly/yEoua5

Updates

February 12, 2012

I have been hearing from families who were forced into these programs and the personal stories of how this system feels rigged are heartbreaking. This conflict of interest destroys the impartiality we deserve in our courtrooms. I am gathering these accounts now to ensure this issue remains impossible for the authorities to ignore.

February 12, 2012

Seeing this movement grow confirms that the community finally recognizes the deep corruption within these courtrooms. It is heartening to see so many people demand fairness instead of accepting this blatant financial conflict of interest.

13 Comments

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Anonymous
3 years ago Featured

I was denied claim of exemption , no explanation and now I’m am going to be homeless soon

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Anonymous
3 years ago Featured

This judge has threatened me didn't give me an opportunity to present my case because I went downstairs to look for my witness I was literally gone for a couple minutes after I already checked in never felt so violated in my life I understand that I probably should have said something to the deputy but it seems that this case has been fixed from the start somebody hit me doing 100 miles an hour on 19 and 50 and I got a ticket for failing to heal to incoming traffic when there is no way to yield it's either a red light or green light it's an arrow if anybody has been through that interjection you can only make a left when you have a green light otherwise you're running the light and there's the problem because the red light would prove my innocence

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Erik V
3 years ago Featured

Any judge who has sat on the board of directors or affiliated with the Dawn Center must be removed. This is dangerous to allow this to continue.

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Lauri Rogers
5 years ago Featured

had fight with hubby, was arrested, 55 never in trouble in my life, was given 26 weeks batterers intervention, biggest SCAM!

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Alex Johnson
5 years ago Featured

This judge is incompetent and biased. If this is due to corruption I don’t know. What I do know is he needs to be remove from the bench as soon as possible.

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Wally Morris
6 years ago Featured

Kurt Hitzemann is an over zealous Judge who has no problem violating peoples Civil Rights.

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Nettie Harrison
6 months ago

I personally have not had the experience of dealing with this Judge. My issue is that he let a child molester out on a $5000 bond with an ankle monitor! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!! I bet if it was his child, he would have done differently! My question is when is anyone that is worth their salt on this earth, going to stand up and take up for the children in our county or around the world for that matter! So I am starting here! When a Judge allows a grown man, who admitted to and was caught in the middle of the act, this Judge let that man go on a $5,000.00 Bond, which means (for those that do not know) he paid $500.00 to get out with an ankle monitor! This makes my stomach turn. With everything else I have read about this Judge being on the Board of the Dawn Center! Yeah thats a huge conflict of interest and I wonder how many times the offender greased his palm/pockets and how can the Dawn Center guarantee the safety of the victims? As a person who has been battered and beaten by my ex-husband, I did not feel safe anywhere except living with my father after I finally got the courage to leave him. There is no way a Judge should have first hand knowledge of a DV situation if he is the judge that will be presiding over the case at any time. This Judge needs to be removed from the bench completely. It is obvious that he has lost the power to recognize the difference between right and wrong! Any sex offender/molester (for those that may think one has a different meaning, than the other) should remain behind bars until they go to court and then once proven guilty, send them straight to Prison! Not probation, not fines, or rehabilitation classes; you can't rehabilitate a sick SOB like that. I'll get off my soap box now. My heart breaks for that little girl that was molested. Maybe we dont know the whole story but based on what we do know he should be behind bars still. It that was my child, grandchild niece or nephew, I'd be sitting in jail in a orange jumpsuit, but I

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Anonymous
10 months ago

I had a garnishment that I paid in full went to the court house and filed the necessary paperwork to cancel the debt. Court date was set and then the judge sided with LVNV funding to continue the garnishment after seeing that they were paid in full. LVNV is now garnishing my check again for the full amount. This judge always sides and I believe he is getting his pockets greased honestly.