Tallapoosa Circuit Chief Judge Meng Lim facing new counts of misconduct following complaints
Feb 3, 2022 | Republished by LIT: Apr 6, 2022
Meng Lim, who has been embroiled in an ethics investigation by the state judicial qualifications commission the past year and a half, resigned as chief judge of the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit on Tuesday, July 5, less than six months before the end of his term.
Tallapoosa Circuit Chief Judge Meng Lim facing new counts of misconduct following complaints
Amended charges against Tallapoosa Circuit Chief Judge Meng Lim adds eight new counts of judicial misconduct to the state’s inquiry into the superior court judge’s behavior while on the bench.
The new charges, which were part of a filing by Georgia’s judicial qualifications commission on Jan. 28 to the state supreme court, brings the total number of counts to 24 against Lim, primarily concerning complaints related to him not disclosing previous relationships with defendants or their families.
The Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit covers Polk and Haralson counties.
Lim, who was elected to superior court judge in 2014, was originally charged with 16 separate violations of the state Code of Judicial Conduct last July stemming from accusations related to him allegedly having a romantic relationship with a former Polk County Court Clerk’s Office employee and using his influence and personal relationship with a participant in the Tallapoosa Circuit Drug Court program to get him preferred treatment in 2016.
Lim announced in November that intends to seek re-election this year.
Tallapoosa circuit judge faces formal charges by state commission after investigation
The new charges are a result of two complaints filed with the state last year after the initial charges were filed.
A state inquiry resulted in the amended formal charges by the JQC which cover misconduct threatening the “independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary.”
One of the new complaints allege that Lim failed to disclose he was familiar with a witness in a September 2020 bond hearing for David Trey McAlpin in Haralson County Superior Court and discussed the case with him prior to the hearing.
McAlpin was charged with committing several felonies while out on bond, including against family members.
The witness reportedly told Lim that they needed McAlpin to “help around the house.”
Lim did not notify counsel or disclose on the record that he had discussed the case with the witness prior to the hearing, nor did he reveal his previous relationship with the witness.
Against the wishes of the prosecutor, Lim granted McAlpin a $40,000 bond and allowed him to live in a trailer on the witness’ property and to have contact with the victims and witnesses in the case.
McAlpin was arrested twice in the months after the hearing, with Lim denying revoking his bond the first time before doing so following his January 2021 arrest when he was charged with numerous violent felony offenses, including against the victims from the September 2020 hearing.
The complaint filed by the JQC states that Lim did not reveal his relationship with the witness or McAlpin’s family. It wasn’t until October, after learning of the commission’s investigation, that Lim voluntarily recused himself from all cases involving McAlpin.
Lim announces re-election bid as misconduct inquiry moves forward
The other complaint from the amended charges stems from Lim presiding over two criminal cases — once in February 2017 and then September 2019 — in which he had a long friendship with the defendant.
According to the filing, Nathan Robinson went in front of Lim on two separate occasions in Haralson County Superior Court facing felony charges each time.
Robinson entered a negotiated guilty plea with the victim of the crime present in court both times.
“Judge Lim and Robinson have known each other since they were in elementary school,”
the filing states.
“Robinson considers Judge Lim to be a close, ‘long time’ friend.
Robinson retained and employed Judge Lim as his attorney before Judge Lim was elected to the bench.”
The commission’s filing states that Lim failed to notify the victim or legal counsel that had a previous relationship with Robinson during the plea hearings.
Portions of the filing stem from an investigation after Lim’s arrest on July 2, 2020 on a misdemeanor battery under the Family Violence Act.
Those charges were dropped after a Haralson County grand jury did not to indict him.
Previous filings by the JQC reveal that information discovered during the GBI investigation into the domestic violence allegations led to further investigation of Lim by the commission’s investigative panel.
Lim’s attorney, Dennis T. Cathey, filed a response to the initial accusations by the JQC on Sept. 22 asking that all formal charges be dismissed.
No action has been taken on that request as of Thursday.
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