State reprimands Texas judge for demeaning kids in court 

A former municipal court judge in Deaf Smith County has been publicly reprimanded for berating and demeaning juveniles and their parents in her court.

The State Commission on Judicial Conduct found that Jennifer Eggen’s conduct was “clearly inconsistent with the proper performance of a judge’s duties and cast public discredit upon the judiciary.”

According to the commission’s findings of fact, when presiding over juvenile dockets Judge Eggen would berate and demean juveniles and their parents in her court.

“She regularly yelled at juveniles and their parents so loudly that courthouse staff could clearly hear through the walls of the courtroom,” the findings state.

On May 11, 2021, Eggen, per multiple witnesses, told a 15-year-old child she “hoped that when he got locked up, he would get a big Black man as his cell mate that would make him his bitch.”

The child left the courtroom very upset and crying, according to the commission.

On a separate occasion, Eggen told another juven...