The fallout from the investigation into the online activities of Faulkner County Circuit Judge Mike Maggio continues, as the Conway judge's current docket has been reassigned.
Maggio, who until early this month was a candidate for the Arkansas Court of Appeals, dropped out of the race after blogger and attorney Matt Campbell of the Blue Hog Report posted anonymous comments Maggio had been making on a Louisiana State University sports website. In the postings, Maggio made racist and homophobic statements. He also revealed confidential information relating to cases currently before his court, including details of an adoption by actress Charlize Theron that took place on his docket.
A follow up post by Campbell also revealed that Maggio lowered penalties in a lawsuit around the same time one of the defendants in the lawsuit created and funded political action committees which eventually donated to Maggio's campaign.
An order signed Monday (March 24) by Chief Justice Jim Hannah of the Arkansas Supreme Court said a special judge, or a group of special judges, would take over Maggio's docket.
"The Supreme Court has been advised that court operations in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, Division 2, have been disrupted, and that the orderly administration of justice has been severely compromised, due, in part, to recusal issues," Hannah said in the order.
A complaint has been filed with the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission tied to the donations from the PACs to Maggio's campaign.
Maggio has yet to resign from his judicial position.