The Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission recommended Wednesday that the Arkansas Supreme Court temporarily suspend a circuit judge arrested last week on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and other charges.
The commission asked that William M. Pearson, 57, a Johnson County circuit judge, be suspended immediately with pay pending disciplinary action.
The Supreme Court did not act on the recommendation Wednesday, according to the court clerk's office.
Pearson's attorney Jeff Rosenzweig of Little Rock said he probably would file a response to the complaint today. He said Pearson understood the gravity of the situation.
"We will cooperate in full with all inquiries," he said.
Pearson, of Clarksville, was arrested Friday on charges of driving while intoxicated, fleeing, reckless driving and refusal to submit to a chemical test, according to Arkansas State Police.
State police said a pickup driven by Pearson failed to stop at a sobriety checkpoint about 9:30 p.m. on Arkansas 103 near Interstate 40 on Clarksville's west side. Pearson continued driving the pickup for another 1.5 miles before troopers pulled him over, authorities said. He tried to pull back onto the highway but was blocked by a patrol car, state police said.
Pearson was taken to the Johnson County jail, where he was booked and released after posting a $1,400 bond. He is scheduled for a court appearance March 3.
David Gibbons, prosecuting attorney for the 5th Judicial Circuit, which Pearson also serves, said Monday that formal charges would be filed after a special judge and a special prosecutor are appointed. Gibbons said his office would recuse to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
If the other three judges in the circuit step aside from Pearson's case, the Supreme Court will be called on to appoint a special judge, according to the Administrative Office of the Courts.
The Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission's complaint said Pearson was notified that the commission would meet Wednesday by telephone conference to consider whether to request the temporary suspension "until further continuation of both the criminal charges and this disciplinary action."
The telephone conference was conducted with seven of the nine members of the commission, which decided "the pending charges against Pearson adversely affected the judge's ability to perform his judicial duties."
Rosenzweig said Pearson has worked in his office this week but has not presided over any court proceedings.
The 5th Judicial Circuit consists of Franklin, Johnson and Pope counties.
According to an administrative plan attached to Wednesday's complaint, Pearson, as Division I judge, is assigned all criminal cases filed in all three counties. He also is assigned 40 percent of the civil-case filings in Franklin and Johnson counties and 20 percent of the civil filings in Pope County.
Pearson was elected to the bench in 2008 and re-elected without opposition in 2014. His term expires in 2020.
Before being elected judge, Pearson had a private law practice in Clarksville for 21 years. He also worked as a public defender in Johnson and Franklin counties.
State Desk on 01/26/2017