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Judge Reprimanded for Belittling Domestic Violence Victim

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SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - A central Florida judge has been publicly reprimanded for belittling a victim of domestic violence.

The Orlando Sentinel (http://tinyurl.com/go3hebm) reports Seminole County Judge Jerri Collins ordered a woman to jail for three days last year after she failed to come to court and testify against the man she accused of abusing her. The victim said she had been struggling with depression and anxiety.

The newspaper reported the judge replied "You think you're going to have anxiety now? You haven't even seen anxiety."

Collins was reprimanded earlier this week by Florida's chief justice. The Florida Supreme Court found she had the right to sentence the woman to jail, but said she was impatient, harsh and sarcastic.

The Judicial Qualifications Commission charged Collins with violating rules outlining how Florida judges should behave.

Collins agreed to take anger management and domestic violence courses.

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Information from: Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/

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