Rev. Arthur D. Hage, 63, has posted the video below as part of his complaint to the state Judicial Investigation Commission about Putnam County Circuit Court Family Law Judge William M. “Chip” Watkins III. It shows Watkins, 58, going ballistic in a divorce case where he screams at Hage, including to tell him to “Shut up” and accusing him of telling a “damn lie.”
Hage was raising a termite issue in the marital home that the minister felt had to be addressed before being sold to anyone. The judge appears out of control at points, screaming “I didn’t tell you to talk. … Are you deaf?” and “Shut up! I didn’t ask you to speak.”
Watkins accuses Hage of being behind a news website’s article about Watkins and his wife being delinquent on paying their homeowner’s association dues.
It starts out with Watkins saying calmly “Mr. Hage, if you say one word out of turn, you’re going to jail. Do you understand me?” That was a bad sign since I fail to see any basis for such a threat. Hage nonetheless answers “yes.”
Watkins then accuses Hage of speaking with a reporter after the prior hearing and his wife Lillian’s lawyer asked for an order of contempt for Hage mentioning his wife’s mental health problems in violation of a court order.
That is when Hage tried to speak and touched off a judicial eruption. Watkins screams “Because of you, my wife is there alone, and my house has been vandalized four times. You realize that, of course, as I’m sure you’re probably in on it and laughing about it.” The judge continues to say “You, you disgusting piece of …” and “I swear to you. You’re responsible. I’m holding you personably responsible for anything that happens to my house.”
In what appears to be the world’s most obvious point, Watkins states “I promise you that if see so much as anyone blanketing my home, my wife, my family, you and me are going to have a problem. …”
Notably, Watkins appears to start to recuse himself after saying “Well, buddy, it’s personal. It’s personal, and I can promise you, you will not hear the end of if from me.” It would seem recusal at that point is inevitable. However, Watkins stops himself and again starts to beat up on the pastor, including some remarkable threats : “Please understand that. I will resign this bench and I will personally see to it that you never see a free day in your life. Do you understand? You’re going to jail,. I swear to God.”
Here is the most amazing thing, Watkins then proceeds to conduct the hearing and refuses to recuse himself.
The ethics charge has obvious merit given the judge’s personal interest and anger — not to mention his loss of composure and demeanor. Regardless of the merits of the allegations, Watkins was no longer a disinterested or neutral party.
Watkins was also accused of threatening two local reporters.
Source: West Virginia Record as first seen on ABA Journal.
@Anonymously Yours: Perhaps my sarcasm it too dry. And yes, I have been in a courtroom or two and yes I have been in that situation (though not quite as egregious) both getting yelled at and having my opponent getting yelled out.
Doing a little background research on this story brought me to the local online news website, http://www.putnamlive.net, the owner and publisher being Mark Hallburn. After reading some of the stories from this highly vocal, public-spirited news outlet for Putnam County, WV, I see that Mr. Hallburn, who is the one who actually published the now world-famous photo of Judge Watkins’ residence, and who has also filed at least one complaint against another judge way back in 2006, obviously knows how to be a ‘burn’ in the minds of various city hall officials and the local political leadership. It looks as if Hallburn knows that the divorce of the community’s well-known pastor and Bible college president Arthur Hage is big news, especially since the pastor’s wife claimed longterm spousal abuse in her original divorce complaint. There are two sides to everything, and Pastor Hage tried unsuccessfully during the divorce to try to get his wife a mental health assessment ordered by Judge Watkins. When the Hage family home was put up for sale, the Pastor felt potential buyers should be informed of an ongoing termite problem, but his concerns have been disregarded. His wife’s attorney said the termites, and other problems with the house, were ‘fixed’ years ago. Now Pastor Hage is facing a series of punitive financial rulings. When the local reporter, Mark Hallburn, talked to Hage outside the courtroom in May 2012, the Pastor evidently violated a “permanent protection order” included in the final divorce ruling in 2011, since he evidently mentioned his wife’s mental instability. Last month, Hallburn was already working on a story about Judge Watkins and his not being “in good standing” with his homeowners association. Watkins has been the subject of other controversies through the years, as verified by the archives of the West Virginia Record, a legal journal which covers West Virginia’s legal system. I cannot see how Judge Watkins could have blamed and threatened Pastor Arthur Hage for the story in Mark Hallburn’s totally independent site, http://www.putnamlife.net. The viral video is an amazing lesson on what kind of shenanigans judges think they can pull. Watch the judge and the bailiff throw their weight around, talking about the man who drove Pastor Hage to the hearing and is waiting in the hall. The judge orders the bailiff to remove him from the building. That man has now also filed a complaint, as well.
There is an old saying down on the farm about cream rising and something else floating.
This case is something else.
According to the linked article, this isn’t the first time this judge stepped over the line. No surprise there. Nor is he the first or only judge to be a…..(not supposed to call names) fill in the blank with your own choice profanity. Being late with any bill isn’t an end of the world situation. Being outed as owing the bill is a mild embarrassment, not life and death. The judge obviously has problems with priorities, what’s important and what isn’t. He needs a long vacation away from the court.
How quick some people are to find the good Reverend guilty of vandalism based upon the heresay set forth by the judge. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
So, where was this creepy vid posted and had all the parties in it been noticed and gvn their permission?
Feyd Rautha
Arthur Randolph Erb
1, July 3, 2012 at 9:15 am
I have to agree with the judge in his reaction to the vandalism that the good Rev had done.
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what?
This is interesting…and seems to verify an incident that two friends had several (shall I say many) years ago in a WVA courtroom no less..for many years I had a hard time believing them (not that they’re dishonest or serial liars…very much the opposite), but because I couldn’t believe a Judge would use such language in court…I guess I haven’t been in a courtroom enough to know the difference…or shall I say, I’ve never been in a WVA courtroom!
Anyhow, two of my buddies were camping, parting and drinking in a rural area of West-by-God in the late 1990s. Out of booze, they did the logical thing and decided to drive to the closest town and get some more beer…of course, (you guessed it) they were pulled over and my one buddy was arrested for DUI and his wingman was put in the drunk tank with him for (I assume) drunk in public…
I haven’t spoken with these friends in a few years, so the detail are a bit fuzzy…but after a night in the local county jail, for some reason the next morning the two were taken to the local general district court to appear before the local Judge. Process wise, I am not sure what this “hearing” would have been, but I assume at this point they were charged with DUI and DIP by the arresting officer? Possibly this “hearing” was to set a return date before they left the state? Regardless, they were in front of the local Judge the next morning….
Anyhow, when my friends were called before the Judge (both still very much hungover), the Judge exclaimed “Now why are you two F***ers in my Courtroom?”…and then (according to my friend) the judge went on a 5 minute profanity laced tirade in which the defendants were peppered with profanities and insults….my friends said it was almost comical, and they couldn’t believe what they was hearing…however, no one else in the courtroom appeared to “blink” at the Judge’s choices of words…you know, business as usual…
So, in the end, it all worked out well for my friends. After being cussed and insulted by the Judge, they were both released with no pending charges! I’d be more than happy with that, and they were too…Go figure…however, they did come home with a very interesting experience…
God Bless ‘Merica!
Wow. One entertaining video. This is a prime example why video recording of all judicial matters should be required. This judge is way out of control and should find a new line of work.
Hello, satan?
This song is by the Tenatious D cats, with a message for the judge:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf-SY-9HGcY&w=512&h=312]
The big question is, does the judge have cats?
That case is all junk once the judge stepped over the line.
The 5th Amendment kicks in, because of the right to an impartial adjudicator, and makes the proceedings unconstitutional.
His judgment and order would be void ab initio.
It is sad, but this judge reminds me of a couple I have known. One of them tried cite a person for contempt for cutting in front of him at a service station gas pump. Takes all kinds, I suppose.
I have to agree with the judge in his reaction to the vandalism that the good Rev had done. Unfortunately, we have two bad choices. One is for the judge to recuse himself, but in that case the Rev wins and gets a new judge who he can influence. Two if he does not recuse himself, then he looks like a biased fool and the Rev wins too. The judge reacted as a man and not a judge and fell into the trap set for him. So the best course, would have been to recuse himself and cut his losses.
Casey,
You’re kidding right? If not, I don’t wish you the rather of an irate judge with just a court reporter……. You’ve not ever practice in a real courtroom I suspect…..
Allowing video in the court room degrades the honor and dignity of judicial proceedings. It has nothing to do with the behavior of the bench.
That made my day! Fantastic posting!
This is just the tip of the ice berg in many Judicial Settings….. There are more of these kind of judges out there than pubically acknowledged….