The Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct has asked that former Saline County Circuit Judge Bobby D. McCallister be disbarred for his failure to file state income tax returns.
Stark Ligon, executive director of the professional conduct committee, filed a petition for disbarment Tuesday with the Arkansas Supreme Court.
McCallister, of Benton, resigned his position as circuit judge Dec. 15 as part of a plea negotiation with the Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission.
His resignation came after the Supreme Court temporarily suspended McCallister from his position as circuit judge July 14, 2017, after four counts of criminal charges were filed against him July 11, 2017, for failure to pay or file state tax returns.
McCallister was sentenced to four years' probation Dec. 19 after waiving a jury trial and pleading no contest to one count of failure to file a tax return. He also was fined $1,500 and ordered to file state tax returns for 2012-2014 and 2016 within 120 days of sentencing, according to Saline County Circuit Court records.
Each of the four counts of felony tax evasion filed initially carried a possible sentence of six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
McCallister was granted a license to practice law in 1991. He had served as an elected circuit judge in the 22nd Judicial Circuit since Jan. 1, 2009, at an annual salary of $160,000.
Metro on 08/24/2018