Circuit Judge Is Removed by Justices

The state Supreme Court in Little Rock, Ark., threw a circuit judge off the bench, affirming an earlier ruling that he wrote hot checks, failed to pay his federal income tax and engaged in other misconduct. Morris Thompson became the first Arkansas judge stripped of his robe by the state’s highest court. Others facing severe disciplinary action have bowed out rather than fight to stay on the bench. Thompson said his alleged offenses were “a series of minor incidents” and did not warrant his removal from a judgeship he has held since 1993. Thompson lost a reelection bid last week, so he would have had to leave office anyway on Dec. 31.