Federal judge shoots down Lin Wood's latest objection to being forced to take a mental health exam

A federal judge on Monday denied attorney Lin Wood's most recent objection to an effort to force him to take a mental health examination over his campaign to overturn the 2020 election for former President Donald Trump.

In an order filed in United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division, Judge Timothy C. Batten denied Wood's request for judicial recusal. Wood had argued that the judge must recuse himself because he could be called as a witness in a lawsuit against the Disciplinary Board of the State Bar of Georgia, which is investigating Wood's mental fitness.

"The Court will deny Wood's motion for disqualification or recusal," Batten wrote. "However, information learned in court proceedings is not grounds for recusal."

The judge added: "Further, the Court agrees with Wood's assertion that it never sanctioned Wood for inappropriate or unprofessional conduct or otherwise took action or filed a complaint that would call Wood's professional conduct or mental stability into question based on Wood's 2020 cases in this Court. This obviates the need for the undersigned to testify as a witness."

"Finally, nothing in the Court's handling of Wood's earlier cases would lead to impartiality, prejudice, or bias that would require recusal," the order concluded. "The motion to expedite is denied as moot."

The Disciplinary Board recently clarified that Wood may be able to keep his law license even if he declines to take the mental exam that was ordered after the attorney called for then-Vice President Mike Pence to be executed over his refusal to object to the 2020 election results.