Joseph Boeckmann of Wynne, who’s been suspended as a part-time district judge in Cross County because of a pending complaint by the state Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission, has filed a formal response to the charges denying all allegations of impropriety.

The allegations are lengthy and, by necessity so is the response. He’s accused, among others, of giving leniency in court in return for sexual relationships, including photographs, of litigants. Any photographs taken, he said, were merely to prove completion of community service. He denied ever having had child pornography on his computer. He said checks he’d written to other lawyers were not improper but the “unavoidable consequence” of doing business in a small town. He said he’d paid tickets for “friends and acquaintances” in minor cases with preset fines that didn’t require court appearances.

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The Arkansas Supreme Court suspended Boeckmann after the allegations were filed. As it stands, he’ll have a public hearing on the allegations before a panel of commissioners unless a settlement is otherwise reached before then. His judgeship is on the ballot March 1, but he is not seeking re-election.

These allegations only relate to judicial ethics. Matters uncovered in that probe that could also raise questions about criminal law violations have been referred to prosecutors. 

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