The Judicial Qualifications Commission says Judge Rucker Smith was reprimanded and pled guilty to a reduced charge
Judge Rucker Smith was reprimanded, but the details are private and not available to the public
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LESLIE, GA --
A South Georgia Judge who was arrested last year for driving under the influence of alcohol was reprimanded. Rucker Smith, Chief Judge of the Superior Court of the Southwest Judicial Circuit, plead guilty in open court to a reduced charge of reckless driving in the Municipal Court in the City of Leslie.
In May 2011, officials say Smith self-reported his arrest to the Judicial Qualifications Commission; the commission says a personal conference with Smith about the facts and a resolution were held on June 24, 2011. In the Municipal Court for the City of Leslie, Smith submitted his guilty plea in open court to a reduced charge of reckless driving.
Smith's reprimand is private and the details cannot be released to the public, according to the commission.
The commission says on May 28, 2011, Smith was arrested by the Leslie Police Department for driving under the influence of alcohol. They say Smith was pulled over by a patrol officer for allegedly driving 63 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone on US Highway 280. They say Smith then refused the field sobriety tests and was arrested on charges of speeding, open container, and driving under the influence (refusal).
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