(LEX 18)– A District Judge for Kentucky’s 21st Judicial District has been suspended without pay for seven consecutive days.
Judge William Roberts, District Judge for Bath, Menifee, Montgomery, and Rowan Counties will be suspended from his duties starting at midnight on February 15 until midnight of February 22.
An agreed order of suspension from the Judicial Conduct Commission says that during a preliminary investigation, they received information that Roberts was involved in a vehicle accident in Rowan County on March 10, 2018. The order says that he left the scene of the accident in violation of KRS 189.580.
The commission said that he violated SCR 4.300, the Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 1, “by failing to maintain high standards or conduct and uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary,” and Canon 2, “by failing to act in a manner that promoted public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary,” and Canon 3B(2) by failing to be faithful to the law.”
During his suspension, he cannot use his judicial office at the Rowan County Justice Center, nor any other judicial offices he may have in other courthouses. He shall also forbear from using his secure courthouses access pass and shall turn in any access passes, keys, or credentials to court security while the suspension is in effect.
The order said that Roberts fully cooperated with the Commission’s investigation and “took the appropriate steps to ensure that the offending conduct will not be repeated.”
