A federal judge is considering whether to allow former Pulaski County Circuit Judge Willard Proctor Jr. to file for re-election, even after the state Supreme Court removed Proctor from the bench.
Much of Friday’s hearing focused on whether federal court is the proper venue for Proctor to challenge his removal. The Arkansas attorney general’s office is arguing that Proctor should have taken his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, rather than federal court.
The state Supreme Court ordered the removal of Proctor from the bench last month and barred him from running for re-election after finding he violated 15 judicial rules by having too close of a relationship with some probationers.
Proctor wants U.S. District Judge James M. Rosenbaum to issue a temporary injunction allowing him to file for re-election — without risk of censure or sanctions. The filing period opens Monday and lasts a week.