A Colombian judge has been suspended for three months after appearing in a virtual courtroom in a Tshirt and knickers, lying and smoking. The decision comes from the Norte de Santander Judicial Disciplinary Commission, which considered that judge Vivian Polania violated several administrative regulations.
The hearing at which the incident occurred took place last week and dealt with an attack perpetrated in June 2021 in a Colombian army brigade in Cúcuta. While witnesses and attorneys spoke, the judge’s camera was off.
According to the Colombian press, which had access to the court’s decision, the judge turned on the camera an hour into the session and “revealed that she was lying in bed in a deplorable state, looking disheveled, with sleepy eyes and slurred speech.”
A lawyer alerted the judge, who immediately turned off the camera. However, the footage was leaked on social media and made it possible, prompting the investigation of the Colombian judiciary.
“Such a situation falls short of the care, respect and prudence with which a judge of the Republic should administer justice, indicating a clear lack of respect on the part of the official,” the judges who make up the commission wrote.
In an interview with Blu Radio from Colombia, Vivian denied that she was halfnaked and said that she was lying down because she was having an anxiety attack and her blood pressure had dropped. The judge stated that she was “extremely overworked” which has affected her mental health. She also said she lives a routine of bullying by coworkers for the way she dresses.
By the way, Vivian’s clothes earned the judge a series of disciplinary measures before the virtual hearing. At the time, the judge defended herself by saying that Cúcuta, the city she moved to to serve as judge, has “scorching heat” and therefore adheres to shorts and Tshirts rather than long dresses, but is forced to wear them wear a court tunic because it is “too sexy”.
Another point that led to repression was the judge’s online behavior. According to the Colombian press, Vivian is known for sharing photos only in lingerie on her Instagram profile, where she had 300,000 followers the account was temporarily suspended but is now reactivated.
“I got tired of pleasing people instead of having my peace of mind,” he said in an interview with Blu Radio. She also stated that she will not change her personality to please other people.