Franklin County court official resigns after hallway incident

Security camera footage shows bailiff pushing and smacking woman outside courtroom

Apr. 7, 2026 at 10:03am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up photograph of a security camera lens, reflecting the distorted silhouette of a person's hand, conceptually representing the surveillance footage that captured the hallway incident.Security camera footage exposes troubling conduct by a court official, raising concerns about accountability in the justice system.Franklin Today

A Franklin County bailiff named Kelli Johnson has resigned after security camera footage captured her pushing and smacking a woman in the hallway outside a Juvenile and Domestic Relations courtroom on March 24.

Why it matters

The incident raises concerns about the conduct of court officials and the need for accountability, especially in sensitive legal proceedings involving juveniles and domestic relations matters.

The details

The security camera footage shows Johnson, who was the bailiff for Judge Monica Hawkins, physically confronting a woman in the hallway and shoving her before smacking a cell phone out of her hand.

  • The incident occurred on March 24, 2026 outside Judge Monica Hawkins' courtroom.

The players

Kelli Johnson

A former Franklin County bailiff who resigned after the hallway incident.

Judge Monica Hawkins

The judge whose courtroom the incident occurred outside of.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The Franklin County court system has stated they will review security protocols and conduct training to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for strict professional conduct standards and accountability measures for court officials, especially in sensitive legal proceedings involving vulnerable parties.