November 2, 2006 | Funny Bits

Judges gone wild

When they're on the clock, judges are a serious bunch. They sentence criminals, overturn laws and interpret legislation, all in a day's work. If recent news items are any indication, however, in their free time some judges are more likely to be caught holding discarded clothes than they are a gavel.

One such judge is an unnamed member of the Canadian Supreme Court, according to The Globe and Mail, which suggests one of the nine judges is a fan of nude cruises. The paper cites a travel article published in the San Francisco Chronicle early this year, which quoted a co-owner of the Bare Necessities nude cruise line as saying that her passengers have included "actors, bus drivers, Fortune 500 CEOs, soccer moms, doctors, teachers, priests and at least one Canadian Supreme Court justice."

Upon reading the San Francisco Chronicle article, Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin made it her mission to identify the court's closet nudist. She was unsuccessful, however, as neither the reporter nor the cruise line would reveal the alleged judge's identity.

Across the pond in Great Britain, a London magistrate is proving that judges there can shirk the dignity of their robes for the thrill of nudity, too. According to the Daily Telegraph, 59-year-old Michael Lee, a former judge in London's inner courts, has been charged with theft for stealing $405,000 from his company with which to pay a call girl that he paid to clean his house naked -- except for a pair of rubber gloves, that is.

"He should ask for his money back because she obviously didn't have her mind on the cleaning aspect of her work," a neighbor told the Telegraph. "His place was absolutely filthy."

Lee turned himself in with a guilty conscience and could face prison time if convicted. Watch for him and his unnamed Canadian peer in a new video series -- "Judges Gone Wild: Behind the Robes."

• Did Supreme Court judge throw away briefs? [Globe & Mail]
• Ex-judge stole thousands to pay for nude cleaner [Daily Telegraph]