Willmar judge accused of misconduct to retire

A district judge accused of misconduct will retire as part of an agreement with a board on judicial standards that dismisses a formal complaint against her.

Eighth Judicial District Judge Jennifer Fischer, who was based in Willmar, had faced allegations of misconduct and retaliation against colleagues that could have resulted in censure, suspension or removal from the bench.

In a filing last week, the Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards requested that the court terminate the proceedings against Fischer.

“Based on Judge Fischer’s agreement to retire, the Board hereby dismisses the Formal Complaint,” the filing said.

Fischer said she could not comment in a phone call Tuesday. The Minnesota Judicial Branch did not reply to a request for comment.

The board filed the formal complaint against Fischer in July. It accused Fischer of failing to maintain a proper demeanor in court and removing herself from cases handled by specific lawyers.

Fischer had been the subject of an investigation in 2023, in which court staff had expressed concerns with Fischer’s “erratic, explosive and unpredictable behavior” both in court and in the workplace.

Among those claims: Fischer privately accused a judge, who had lodged complaints during the first investigation against her, of being an opiate addict. Fischer is also said to have recused herself from an “unprecedented number of attorneys and entities” who had cooperated with the earlier investigation against her.

By Feb. 10, Fischer was no longer assigned to any criminal cases, and as of April 28, she had no cases, the filing said.

The formal complaint sought a public hearing that could have resulted in censure, suspension or removal from the bench.

In her formal answer to the complaint, Fischer denied all allegations of misconduct and retaliation.