By Becky Gillette – Eureka Springs attorney Tim Parker says that although he voluntarily resigned as Western Division Carroll County District Judge, he is not guilty of trading sexual favors from female litigants in return for bonds and releases as was alleged in an investigation by the Arkansas Judicial Discipline & Disability Commission (JDDC).
A JDDC press release of Jan. 3 said Parker was removed and resigned as part of a negotiated resolution with the JDDC. The Letter of Removal From Office said Parker admitted to violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct regarding conducting probable cause determinations and ordering friends or former clients released without bail.
“Over the course of several years you performed probable cause determinations, lowered bail settings and released defendants on their own recognizance as part of your judicial duties,” the JDDC letter said. ‘You received ex parte calls from jail from defendants and discussed their cases. You improperly performed these judicial acts to the benefit of many defendants who were either friends of yours or former clients from your part-time private practice. You did not properly recuse or disclose your relationships with these defendants. You often went to, or called the jail personally, to affect their prompt release.”
Under a section “Admitted Facts Constituting Judicial Misconduct,” it states, “The totality of your conduct referenced in the paragraphs above exhibit an attitude of bias, conflict of interest and general disregard for the integrity of the judiciary.”
There was also a section “Disputed Allegations Rendered Moot By Your Resignation” that included allegations that from 2013 to 2016, “bonds or release of these women or their family or friends were done by their request in exchange for sexual favors. Jail records and court records reveal the District Court’s authority over these persons. Allegations also exist about trading cash and certain prescription pills for sexual favors or money with many of these same women, as well as with other women in the community. The JDDC possess video statements from over a dozen women, as well as recordings of conservations women in the jail had with you in your role as District Court Judge. Print outs of text messages from your cell phone and from the phones of female litigants with cases in District Court also support these allegations. Our investigation led to docket sheets and other records that corroborate the allegations.”
The letter states that Parker has denied the allegations and resigned before receiving the names and details from disputed allegations.
“You stated that your decision was influenced by the effect litigation would have on your family, the time and expense of litigation and that your term on the bench was to expire on Dec. 31, 2016,” the letter said. “You resigned with a declaration of permanent ineligibility to serve in the judiciary before the case progressed to that point.”
Parker said that the investigation was politically motivated by his enemies.
“We denied all that crap, and I think it is odd that having served ten years that they wait until the final few weeks of my term to go after me,” Parker said. “The very few names they even gave me of accusers, I only knew three of the people and the others I don’t know who they were. They were supposed to hold an election for this position two years ago, but they hated me so much they didn’t even hold the election. It is so G*d damned political it’s pathetic.”
He denied there are any conversations recorded between him and prisoners in jail.
“They have no conversations in jail from anyone, I promise you that,” Parker said.
Parker said most of the time when he was called to do Probable Cause hearings, he didn’t even know the name of the accused beforehand. During PC hearings, he said he was surrounded by law enforcement officers, other attorneys and people in attendance.
Parker said he resigned to protect his wife and two young children. He intends to continue in private practice which he has been practicing in Eureka Springs since April 1994.
Parker’s resignation letter to Gov. Asa Hutchinson Dec. 31, 2016, said there was no vacancy created as his term has ended and a new judge would be sworn in by the time the governor received the letter. Judge Dale Ramsey was elected with an expanded territory, Carroll and Madison Counties. Ramsey took office Jan. 1.