Family speaks after former Limestone County judge who stole from them for years was convicted

by: Ethan Fitzgerald

LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala – Last week former Limestone County judge, Douglas Patterson was sentenced to 4-years in prison for several ethics-related charges. As part of the conviction, Patterson is being ordered to pay just under $73,000 in restitution to three different parties.

Jessica Hardy is owed $25,000 after her father’s conservatorship account was drained of roughly $47,000 dollars. Hardy says another judge gave control of the conservatorship to Patterson. Court documents show Patterson took money from the account over the course of 6 years.

“I wanted to see everything. I saw all these withdrawals. One day he took a total of $6,000 in one day,” said Jessica Hardy, who contemplated legal action before the Alabama Attorney Generals Office stepped in.

“I was like, Momma, I’m poor. I can’t afford no lawyer. I can’t go against no judge,” said Hardy when her disabled mother urged Jessica to find answers.

For Hardy, the situation only got worse when she made a call to the hospital to see if she could visit her dying father, a former marine.

“The nurse was like, ‘Well, Doug Patterson told me he didn’t have any family.’ I was like, ‘What!?'” said Hardy.

Eventually, Hardy heard from the Attorney General’s office.

“It felt like weight lifted off of me,” said Hardy.

It’s not clear if the Hardy’s will ever see $25,000 from Patterson or his family. One thing is clear, had the money never left the Hardy’s account, things today would be a whole lot easier.

“We are staying in a hotel because of this COVID situation. I had lost my job,” said Hardy.

Last week, when Patterson was hauled away to start serving his prison sentence, he shared a few words with reporters.

“I’m sorry for everything I did, I’m sorry for all the hurt I caused. I stick to that. I’m very sorry,” said Patterson.

Despite all that has happened to the Hardy’s, Jessica says she has forgiven the former judge.

“It’s the only way I can release myself. And feel good about myself because I can’t carry that hate,” said Hardy.

Patterson also wrote upwards of 70 checks to himself. Taking money from the Limestone County Juvenile Court Services Fund for several years.

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Family speaks after former Limestone County judge who stole from them for years was convicted

Family convicted Alabama judge stole $25,000 from: ‘I’m poor....I can’t go against no judge’

Doug Patterson, the former Limestone County district judge, was sentenced on Dec. 8, 2020 to four years in prison.

By William Thornton

A Limestone County woman says she has forgiven a convicted judge who still owes $25,000 from her father’s conservatorship account.

“It’s the only way I can release myself,” Jessica Hardy told WHNT.

Doug Patterson, a former Limestone County district judge, was sentenced last week to four years in prison. Patterson, 38, pleaded guilty in October to felony charges of using his position for personal gain, financial exploitation of the elderly and theft.

Hardy’s conservatorship account had roughly $47,000 dollars siphoned off over a six-year period, including $6,000 in one day, the station reported. Patterson already repaid about $22,000 of the money that was stolen from Hardy’s father, the veteran Charles Hardy, who has since died.

 

And that’s not all. Hardy told the station that complications continued when she made a call to the hospital to see if she could visit her dying father, a former marine.

“The nurse was like, ‘Well, Doug Patterson told me he didn’t have any family.’ I was like, ‘What!?’” Hardy said.

Her disabled mother suggested she search for answers. “I was like, Momma, I’m poor. I can’t afford no lawyer. I can’t go against no judge,” Hardy said. Eventually, she heard from the Attorney General’s office.

Patterson stole nearly $73,000 from a juvenile court fund and two of his former legal clients. Prosecutors said he wrote 70 checks to himself from the court fund, which he oversaw as a district judge. He has been ordered to repay the stolen money by Dec. 1, 2029 — about five years after he is to be released from prison.

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Family convicted Alabama judge stole $25,000 from: ‘I’m poor....I can’t go against no judge’ 

 

See Also: 

Former Limestone County judge pleads guilty to theft and ethics charges

 

Former Alabama judge sentenced to prison for theft

ATHENS, Ala. (AP) — A former Alabama judge who pleaded guilty to felony ethics and theft charges was sentenced to four years in prison during a hearing Tuesday.

Douglas Patterson, who resigned from his job as district judge in Limestone County in July, also was ordered to pay almost $73,000 in restitution, and sheriff's deputies took him into custody immediately, news outlets reported.

After serving his sentence, Patterson must spend six years on supervised probation and could be sentenced to additional time in prison if he fails to comply with its provisions.

Patterson, 38, pleaded guilty in October after being indicted last year on charges of financial exploitation, theft and using his position for personal gain. He was was accused of taking more than $47,000 from a juvenile court fund as judge and stealing from the conservatorship account of a disabled person while working as a private attorney.

Former Gov. Robert Bentley appointed Patterson to the judgeship in March 2016, and he later ran unopposed and won a six-year term.

 

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Former Alabama judge sentenced to prison for theft

Former Limestone County judge pleads guilty to theft and ethics charges

Douglas Patterson

A former Limestone County judge pleaded guilty on Friday to theft and ethics charges.

Douglas Patterson resigned from his position in July. He pleaded guilty to the intentional use of official position or office for personal gain, financial exploitation of the elderly first degree and theft of property third degree.

Patterson agreed to pay a restitution of more than $70,000. In his plea agreement, he admitted to "violating his oath of office and Alabama law by stealing $47,800 from the Limestone County Juvenile Court Services Fund which was designated to support the children of Limestone County," said Attorney General Steve Marshall in a statement Friday afternoon.

Patterson was initially charged in 2019. Until his resignation in July of this year, he received $5,404.42 twice a month from the State of Alabama while being suspended from working as a judge.

On Oct. 28, Attorney Chuck Warren filed a motion to withdraw as counsel for Patterson.

Patterson pleaded guilty during a hearing Friday morning at the Limestone County Courthouse. His sentencing is set for Dec. 8 at 1:30 p.m.

You can read more from the attorney general's statement on Friday below: 

"Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the conviction Friday of Douglas Lee Patterson, a former district court judge in the 39th Judicial Circuit in Limestone County, on three felony charges: use of official position or office for personal gain, financial exploitation of the elderly in the first degree, and theft of property in the third degree."

"On October 30, Patterson pleaded guilty in the Limestone County Circuit Court to the above three felonies before specially appointed Judge Steven E. Haddock. Judge Haddock set sentencing for December 8 at 1:30 p.m. The ethics charge and the financial exploitation charge are Class B felonies punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment and a $30,000 fine. The theft charge is punishable by up to five years of imprisonment and a $7,500 fine.

"As part of Patterson’s plea agreement, he admitted to violating his oath of office and Alabama law by stealing $47,800 from the Limestone County Juvenile Court Services Fund which was designated to support the children of Limestone County. As Limestone County’s juvenile court judge, Patterson could and did impose supervision fees in certain juvenile cases, which he later stole and used for his own personal benefit. By the time Patterson’s actions were discovered, he had emptied the juvenile account.

"Patterson also admitted in court that, while serving as a private attorney, he financially exploited Charles Lee Hardy, for whom he served as a court-appointed conservator. Hardy, who died in December 2015, was a disabled military veteran living in a nursing home. Patterson disregarded his obligation to protect Hardy’s finances and instead plundered his account by taking Hardy’s money and spending it on himself. By the time Hardy died, Patterson had emptied his account and left his family nothing to inherit from the account.

"Finally, Patterson admitted that he stole from another conservatorship client, Rudolph Allen, while in private practice. In this case, Patterson stole $601 from Allen three years after he died in July 2015. Patterson spent the money on himself rather than turn it over to Allen’s family."

 

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Former Limestone County judge pleads guilty to theft and ethics charges