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Rockford Judge Prepares To Be Ousted
Comments 0 | Recommend 0ROCKFORD (Newschannel 3) - A Rockford District Court Judge is waiting to be ousted from his position.
Judge Steven Servaas is accused of moving outside of the district he serves, and several staffers have also raised concerns about inappropriate behavior and comments.
After more than three decades on the bench, Judge Servass says he's not a guilty man, he's not a liar, and he's being unfairly portrayed as a dirty judge.
"This is all just... I was stunned when they said it," he said. "They said I drew bosoms, they didn't even have those. In a criminal case they would have thrown it out."
Of several allegations sustained by the judge in his case, his accusers say he drew doodles of a sexual nature on a court folder and a note. And in a newly released report, the visiting judge who heard Judge Servass' case last month says he believes Servaas sexually harassed an employee under the civil rights act.
That's because of a comment the judge made to a Rockford District Court employee at a 2007 Christmas party, when he allegedly told the employee the logo on her sweatshirt didn't match the size of her chest.
"He chuckled and said, 'It's awfully small chest for that, you should have gone to a smaller school like Alma, where it would have fit on your small chest better'," said the employee.
Judge Servaas is brushing off the allegations, saying those issues aren't enough to force him out of office. And as he's about to be ousted from office, he says he won't back down.
"I mean, I took the oath to tell the truth," said Judge Servass. "Are you saying I would lie under oath? No, even if I wasn't a judge, I wouldn't lie under oath."
Another problem is where Judge Servass has been living for the past few years, outside of the district he presides over. But he says that residency issue will be decided by the Supreme Court.
Right now Judge Servass is running unopposed for his seat in November.
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