Broward Judge Lauren Peffer fined $10,000 and suspended 30 days by Florida Supreme Court over fabricated campaign call

The Florida Supreme Court on Friday approved a $10,000 fine, a 30-day suspension, and a public reprimand for Broward County Judge Lauren Peffer, who shared a fabricated recording during her 2024 campaign for the seat she now holds.

The court accepted the discipline recommended by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, the state agency that investigates misconduct by judges. In its order, the Supreme Court left the start date of Peffer's suspension to the chief judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, where she presides. The court also ordered her to pay court costs.

The ethics case began during Peffer's 2024 campaign for Broward County judge. While speaking with the South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Peffer cited a self-published book by a disgruntled former employee of the Orlando-area judicial system. The book contained salacious statements and vulgar references to current and past judges. Peffer used it as an example of what she described as "recent revelations" that "highlighted an image crisis within Florida's judiciary," though she later admitted she had never read it.

After that interview, Peffer shared a recording with the Sun Sentinel that she said captured a phone call about the book among Chief Judge Lisa Munyon, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz, and Justice Renatha Francis. The Judicial Qualifications Commission later determined the call was fabricated and likely produced with generative AI.

The commission filed charges against Peffer last summer. It alleged she violated judicial ethics rules and failed to exercise due diligence by citing the book without reading it and by sharing the recording without verifying whether it was legitimate.

At a final hearing in Fort Lauderdale in December, Peffer testified that she never would have cited the book had she read the first few pages.

"I mean both the book and the recording are — they are racist and sexist and frankly it's thuggish. And it really had no place anywhere within my judicial campaign … it was a very shortsighted, ridiculous mistake," Peffer said, according to a transcript.

She also expressed remorse for sharing the fabricated call.

In filings with the Supreme Court, Peffer denied having a "win at all costs" attitude. She described herself as a career animal rights advocate and founder of a nonprofit animal rescue organization, and said she maintained a courteous and professional relationship with her opponent, a candidate known for child advocacy and criminal defense.

Peffer said she did not intend to promote the book's accuracy and had pointed to it only as an example of criticism of the judiciary. She did not contest the hearing panel's findings of fact, conclusions of law, or recommended discipline, and admitted that she violated Florida's Judicial Code of Conduct, though she said the violation was unintentional.