BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A month after former circuit judge Nakita Blocton was removed from the bench, a Birmingham mother is still feeling the impact of Blocton’s failure to ethically and promptly deal with her case.

“Since enduring the trauma from her actions,” Angelik Sims said, “I find myself less energized, losing weight and attending therapy frequently for the anxiety that comes with the fears of having my children stripped from me.”

Just over two years ago, Blocton barred Sims from seeing her two young children after her husband alleged that she was of unsound mental health during a hearing related to proceedings for dissolution of marriage. Sims said Blocton’s ruling was unfair because there was no evidence to suggest she was not able to care for her children or had a history of mental illness.

“Even judges can’t just make rulings; they have to have evidence and witnesses,” Sims told CBS 42 in May 2021. “It doesn’t take being a lawyer to see that she didn’t have something to show that I was on drugs or anything. I’ve never had any of issues that would cause me not to be able to care for my children.”

Sims said that she was separated from her children for over five months and believes Blocton purposefully delayed her case. Sims claimed that when she said the ruling seemed unfair, Blocton threatened her on social media.

The final judgment in Blocton’s case stated that she engaged in abuse of staff, attorneys and litigants, as well as had aliases on social media she used to affect the outcome of a case. Blocton also “failed to promptly dispose of cases assigned to her” despite spending large amounts of time in her office. A judge assigned to Blocton’s backlogged cases was quoted in the judgment, saying they were “‘appalled’ by the number of cases that had been pending for an inappropriate amount of time without resolution.”

Another judge also assigned to Blocton’s backlogged cases said her failure to effectively manage cases “gave a black eye'” to the judicial system and resulted in unreasonable delay that had “adverse effects” on the citizens of Jefferson County.

Following the judgment, Blocton was removed from office last December.

“My initial reaction to the final decision for Blocton being removed from the bench was tears of relief and a praise break,” Sims said. “I instantly began to worship God.”

However, Sims said the consequences of Blocton’s actions still linger.

“I have not been able to sleep separately from my children since she did what she did to me and am not comfortable placing my children in daycare or wanting to be away from them for any long periods of time,” she said.

Sims said her relationship with the legal system has also been damaged as well.

“This experience has weakened my trust for the legal system,” she said.

To read the final judgement, click here.