By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — Pulaski County Circuit Judge Willard Proctor apparently will represent himself before the state Supreme Court next month, the executive director of the panel that is recommending he be removed from the bench said today.

“That’s the way it appears to me,” said David Stewart, executive director of the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission.

“I think he’s the only one that has been signing his pleadings, so by virtue of that, unless somebody makes an entry of appearance … he will be doing his own arguments.”

Proctor declined comment today, as did Austin Porter Jr., a lawyer who represented Proctor at a hearing before the commission earlier this year.

The panel recommended in May that Proctor be removed from the bench after finding he violated judicial conduct rules in his relationship with a nonprofit anti-addiction program, which he created.

The Supreme Court has set oral arguments for Jan. 14.

Stewart said it’s unusual for someone to represent himself or herself before the state Supreme Court, but it has been done before.

“It just depends on the person, how qualified they think they are or how objective they think they are,” he said.

Stewart said he is ready to present his side and that it will be similar to what was presented during the hearing earlier this year.

“I doubt very seriously if the subject matter will differ to any degree of real importance to what was already in the briefs,” Stewart said.

During the April 27-May 1 hearing, Proctor denied allegations raised by current or former employees that he threatened or insulted them, made misleading statements to the Pulaski County Quorum Court, referred to himself as God and controlled the money that went into the nonprofit Cycle Breakers program.

He did admit that his relationship with some of the probationers in the program may have been too close. He acknowledged giving probationers rides to meetings, hosting them at his home, letting one stay at his home and baptizing some at his church.

Stewart said the justices requested the oral arguments. Neither side in the case had asked for oral arguments.

Two special justices have been appointed to consider the case. Tonya Alexander of Marion will replace Justice Annabelle Clinton Imber, who recently retired, and Paul Keith of Hamburg will replace Justice Elana Cunningham Wills, who has recused herself.