Jefferson County Presiding Probate Court Judge Yashiba Glenn Blanchard was suspended Thursday, and retired Judge Sherri Friday has been appointed to fill in as a special probate judge for the county.

No information was released about the reason for the suspension or how long it will last.

“This temporary assignment is necessary for the orderly administration of justice,” a court filing issued by Presiding Circuit Court Judge Elisabeth A. French reads. The appointment confers on Friday all powers, authority and jurisdiction of the judgeship to which she is appointed.

Friday retired in December 2024 from the probate court seat she had held since 2006.

Blanchard was elected to the court in November 2024.