MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — A Mobile County Juvenile Circuit Judge has been suspended amid complaints filed against him, according to officials with the 13th Judicial Circuit Court of Alabama.

Judge Edmond Naman has been suspended after the Judicial Inquiry Commission filed a complaint Monday, automatically triggering the suspension. The complaint alleged that Judge Naman appointed his brother-in-law to handle legal matters at the Juvenile Center.

WKRG News 5 spoke with the attorney who filed the petition that led to Judge Naman’s suspension.

Christine Hernandez filed a 25-page petition back in 2018 with the Judiciary Inquiry Commission discussing his alleged misconduct as judge at the Strickland Youth Center.

Aside from allowing his brother-in-law to interfere with legal affairs, she says he would allow people to sit in the courtroom during juvenile proceedings which are not open for the people to sit through.

“We’re talking about people that don’t know this family are sitting on the side and watching what’s transpiring,” said Hernandez. “How’s that keeping the juveniles case, private? When someone has the authority to say, yeah, all of y’all come on in and watch this. And that was happening.”

Judge Naman will remain suspended until the case is settled or pending an outcome of a trial.

WKRG News 5 tried contacting Judge Naman through phone calls to his staff and emails, but have not heard back yet.

According to Presiding Circuit Court Judge Michael Youngpeter, Judge George Hardesty, who recently retired, is filling in for the time.