Director of judicial panel to retire (UALR Public Radio) - James Badami, the executive director of the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission, said today he is retiring from the panel in June.

The 67-year-old Badami has served as the panel's director since it was formed in 1989.

The nine-member commission investigates and disciplines judges for judicial misconduct and for physical or mental disabilities that may prevent a judge from serving. The commission was created by a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 1988 and Badami was hired as its director in 1989.

Badami says the commission will advertise the position in a statewide legal publication and a national one and plans to have a director in place by July.

It's unclear how Badami's exit will affect the commission's ongoing investigation of Arkansas Appeals Court Judge Wendell Griffen over public comments he's made.

Griffen faces a January 19th hearing over claims that he violated judicial canon by speaking about the nomination of John Roberts to the U-S Supreme Court and an effort to raise Arkansas' minimum wage. In November, the commission expanded its investigation of Griffen to include comments he made speaking out against the war in Iraq and a column he wrote criticizing members of the Bush administration.

Next week, the state Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Griffen's request to open the disciplinary panel's hearing to the public. Griffen said he believes the investigation into him
has been largely driven by Badami.


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