Kodak Black Bond Hearing Judge Gets Kicked Off Bench After 'Shocking' Comments

Kodak Black and his legal team are stunned after hearing "highly inappropriate" comments made by the judge that ordered him to remain behind bars, and that caused him to be publicly slapped from presiding over criminal court after suggesting he fixes bonds for defendants near his home.

Broward County senior Judge Joel Lazarus accidentally spoke into a hot microphone over a live internet broadcast January 19 while preparing for first appearance hearings and told a prosecutor that he would "double the bond to those that take place in my neighborhood." He then elaborated and said, "Closer to my house, the higher the bond. That was always the Lazarus rule."

Kodak Black was in Judge Lazarus' court room that day, and was denied bond minutes after the controversial comments were made.

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He later claimed to be joking, but the Broward County Chief Judge barred Lazarus from presiding over first appearance court in the future, and also from anything involving criminal court over the "clearly inappropriate" statement.

We spoke to Kodak's legal team who say the comments are "shocking" and "highly inappropriate." Kodak currently remains in Broward County jail on 7 charges, including a parole violation, but his legal team says this was a first appearance hearing and any issues with his bond will be discussed with the current judge in his case. They feel a second go around will at least provide them with a fair chance.

We're told his attorney is weighing his legal options.