An Arkansas judge has left office and agreed to never serve on the bench again after a disciplinary panel said it was prepared to administratively charge him with trading sexual favors with female defendants in exchange for their release.
The Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission announced Tuesday that Carroll County District Court Judge Timothy Parker resigned when his term was already set to end Saturday.
The panel said Parker admitted to releasing and lowering bail for defendants who were friends or former clients. Parker denied the sexual misconduct charges, but agreed to step down and not serve again after the panel said it was prepared to charge him on those counts.
Parker's resignation comes as another ex-judge accused of trading sexual favors with defendants for lighter sentences faces federal charges.