An Arkansas judge has mandated that a disciplinary notice be prominently displayed beneath a courtroom portrait of a disgraced former judge, aiming to counteract what he described as a “celebration of corruption.”

This directive was issued by Administrative Judge Stephen Shirron of the Arkansas 7th Judicial Circuit concerning ex-Judge Chris Williams, who previously served in the First Division of the same circuit. On March 28, 2024, the Arkansas Judicial Discipline & Disability Commission (JDDC) announced in a press release that Williams’ resignation would be effective two days later, effectively removing him from office.

This announcement followed an investigation into alleged misconduct. However, due to the terms of Williams’ resignation, specifics of the investigation were not disclosed, according to the Arkansas Times. Williams has been deemed ineligible for any future judicial or public office positions in Arkansas. The responsibility of appointing his successor has been given to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Judge Shirron remarked that Williams’ removal left a significant impact, describing it as a “dark chapter in our history” that should not be celebrated. His recent order is a step towards ensuring this sentiment is reflected in the courtroom.

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Shirron noted, “This is the first occasion in Hot Spring County where a judge has been removed from office due to judicial misconduct,” as per a copy of the release shared by the Arkansas Times. He added that no other judge in the state has faced removal since March 2024, emphasizing the rarity of such an event.

“Needless to say, this cast a long shadow over the judiciary and the local bar,” he continued, adding that he hoped the saga was over, until on Oct. 13, he learned Williams “had a portrait of himself framed, and that he planned to hang it in the Hot Spring County Courtroom.”

Such an action is not commonly undertaken by the judge themselves, according to Shirron, but the local bar association in each county. The associations would pay for the portrait “of each retiring judge” and hold a “celebration of the esteemed jurist for his dedicated and honorable service to our citizens with a public portrait unveiling.”

Williams reportedly went another route.

Shirron said he learned from the Hot Spring County Bar Association that it “had no involvement” with the portrait “and the members had not even so much as been made aware of the unveiling” held on Oct. 16. Furthermore, the date of its planning “fell directly in the midst of the fall Judicial Council Meeting” held hours away, “and the judges of the district would be out of town.”

“This quietly orchestrated secret ceremony is vastly divergent from the historical practice of this district,” the administrative judge added.

In addition to citing his “negotiation” with the JDDC, Williams mentioned his “health” and “advancing age” as reasons for his resignation. He said he served the state and its 7th Judicial Circuit for more than 20 years.

More than 18 months later, his portrait was unveiled. And Shirron was less than pleased about the ode to a man he suggested didn’t deserve it.

“As Judges and lawyers, we should hold ourselves and our peers to the highest ethical standards. Without accountability, trust in justice erodes, undermining fairness and public confidence. Integrity is the backbone of the system the people trust to uphold the rule of law,” Shirron wrote in his Monday order.

“As a Circuit Judge, it is our obligation to exercise superintending control over our courtrooms. We cannot stand idly by and allow a celebration of corruption in our courtrooms without speaking up,” he added.

Shirron concluded by quoting Anglo-Irish politician and philosopher Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

He also stated his plan.

“As the Administrative Circuit Judge of the 7th Judicial Circuit, I have directed that a framed copy of the official JDDC Press Release be hung in the courtroom, immediately below the portrait of Chris Williams during all court proceedings, to make clear the irrefutable historical context,” Shirron wrote.