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Jefferson council appoints temporary municipal judge after recusal amid heated public criticism
Summary
The council approved hiring substitute municipal judge Ryan Henry after Judge Pope recused from the LaFleur case; city attorney said the district attorney returned a fine-only misdemeanor to municipal court, and a resident accused local officials of favoritism and secrecy.
The Jefferson City Council voted to appoint attorney Ryan Henry as a substitute municipal judge for cases when the regular judge is recused or unavailable, the council decided after Judge Pope recused herself from a municipal prosecution in the LaFleur matter.
City Attorney George Hyde told the council the district attorney reviewed the case and returned it to municipal court, describing the charge as a "fine only offense" and explaining the city needs an independent judge to avoid any appearance of bias. "One is it's a charge only when you use them," Hyde said, describing the temporary judge arrangement as pay-as-needed rather than a retainer.
During the public comment period, a resident, Jeff Sofic, delivered extended remarks alleging that local officials had acted with favoritism and criticized the handling of the matter, saying, "This old boy syndrome needs to come to an end." Sofic urged the council to make votes public and to ensure the city attorney "take care of the issues the best that he can within the law."
Hyde responded in open session that he could not discuss the specific facts because the matter remains a pending criminal case in municipal court, but reiterated the DA’s role in deciding prosecutorial jurisdiction and that the municipal court’s maximum jurisdiction in the matter is fine-only.
The motion to appoint Ryan Henry and the law office of Ryan Henry, Pete LLC as substitute municipal judge carried on a council vote (recorded in the proceedings as five in favor, none opposed, one abstention). The temporary judge will be used if Judge Pope is recused or otherwise unavailable; compensation applies only when the substitute judge is needed.
The council did not take additional action on the underlying municipal prosecution during the meeting; George Hyde said he would personally prosecute the municipal case in the interest of avoiding conflicts.
The council moved on to other business and later entered executive session on a set of items including pending legal matters.
