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The Tap: Saturday, December 31, 2016
The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.
Review of the day
The excerpts below were compiled from issue #47 of The Tap, which was published on January 7, 2017. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.
Federal
Four Federal Judges Take Senior Status
- Three federal appellate judges and one federal district judge chose to take senior status, creating Article III vacancies on those courts. To enter into an Article III position, a judge must be nominated by the president. Nominations are then subject to the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. The following judges opted to take senior status:
- W. Eugene Davis, United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
- Diarmuid O’Scannlain, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Richard Clifton, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Richard J. Leon, United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- Click to learn more about federal judges on senior status.
Local
Arkansas Judge Resigns Amid Allegations
- Amid allegations of sexual misconduct, Arkansas Judge Tim Parker resigned from his position on the Carroll County District Court. Parker, who was appointed in 2013 by former Governor Mike Beebe (D), was accused of arranging favorable bond conditions and the release of female defendants in exchange for sexual favors. The Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission (AJDDC) released a letter outlining its case against Parker, which stated that he “engaged in a pattern of personal relationships with many female litigants” between 2013 and 2016. Parker’s resignation was part of a negotiated resolution with the AJDDC that allowed him to avoid being formally charged with judicial misconduct and permanently bars him from serving as a judge in the state. Parker maintained his innocence and explained that he resigned to spare his family from the impact of litigation. His term was set to expire on December 31, 2016.
Preview of the day
There were no items for this day in issue #46 of The Tap, which was published on December 17, 2016. See the "Review of the day" tab for more information.
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