Eleventh Judicial Circuit Judge indicted for misusing court funds, perjury
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FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on Monday that Eleventh Judicial Circuit Judge Gilbert P. Self was indicted and arrested for misusing court funds, making a false representation and perjury.
Self, 61, of Florence, was indicted on 16 counts of the use of office for personal gain or for the gain of family members, one count of making a false representation to Examiners of Public Accounts, and one count of perjury.
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Self surrendered himself to the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, Marshall said.
The activity Self was indicted for took place from April 2020 to February 2023, and included using over $50,000 of public funds to employ his son and using public funds for a number of personal purchases.
The indictment shows Self used public funds for the following:
A double reclining console sofa
To pay Hobby Lobby to frame his son’s college diploma
Two grab and go beers from Hotel Indigo, and/or a glass of Gramona, Tito’s, a Cahaba Blonde and a chocolate martini from Chez Fonfon
Prescription eyeglasses
Self is also alleged to have used public funds for multiple personal trips and judicial conferences and events he didn’t attend.
“He is further charged with using his office to reimburse himself with public funds for a variety of vacations, including a ski trip to Montana, a beach trip, a cycling trip across three states, and a trip to St. Ignace, Michigan. The indictment also charges him with paying himself out of public funds for travel to events he did not attend in Reno, Nevada; Duck Key, Florida; Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Alabama,” the announcement from Marshall’s office states.
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The indictment also accuses Self of ‘double-dipping’ for per diem and mileage, and making false representations to the Examiners of Public Accounts during an audit. It also charges him with making a false statement during sworn testimony in front of a Lauderdale County Grand Jury in 2024.
The Alabama Administrative Office of Courts said Self is disqualified from working as a judge while under indictment but will continue to be paid while the case moves through the courts according to the Alabama Constitution.
When it comes to his current caseload, the Administrative Office of Courts said it will process any requests for assistance from the Lauderdale County Circuit Court.
Self released a statement through his attorney on Monday, saying he acknowledged, “honest but correctable mistakes,” were made with the accounts he managed as Presiding Judge. He highlighted these mistakes were made during a very difficult time for the court.
Here is his full statement:
“From the first time the auditors brought these issues to my attention, I have acknowledged honest but correctable mistakes were made in the two bank accounts I administered as Presiding Judge. These mistakes happened over a period of time when our court system was under immense pressure due to the pandemic and being understaffed and overloaded. At no time did I intend to violate any law. Lauderdale County is not out any money and all of the money in question is in those accounts.
Nothing can change the mistakes I made and my embarrassment and regret are painful realities. Thankfully my wife, sons, family, friends, and church have been steadfast in their support. I look forward to having the citizens of our community review what happened and consider the unprecedented circumstances surrounding many of these events.”
Judge Gil Self
Jude Self’s legal counsel also issued the following statement:
It is the privilege of White Arnold & Dowd, along with Ralph Holt of Holt Mussleman Morgan & Alvis, to represent Judge Gil Self. Judge Self cooperated with the auditors throughout this process. When they told him about the mistakes they saw, he acknowledged them as honest and correctable. In accordance with the Rules of the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, Judge Self voluntarily repaid the funds spent on these honest and correctable mistakes. To the extent those expenses were monies spent on or for the benefit of other people, Judge Self did not go to those people to seek reimbursement – he paid them all himself. Judge Self, along with Judge Graves and Judge Powell, implemented improvements to the accounting and recordkeeping practices for the accounts at issue to prevent reoccurrence. Most of the expenditures came during the Covid pandemic when Judge Self was more than fully occupied trying to keep the courts accessible and functioning.
The support from the citizens of Lauderdale County throughout this ordeal confirms Judge Self is not only a good judge, he is a good person. We will continue to investigate the charges against him and look forward to presenting the facts demonstrating these charges should not have been made. Any information or inquiries concerning this matter should be directed to us as his counsel.
White Arnold & Dowd P.C.
If Self is convicted, the attorney general’s office said he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment and a $30,000 fine for each of the sixteen charges for violating the Ethics Law and up to 10 years of imprisonment and a $15,000 fine for making a false statement to the Examiners and for perjury.
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