Censure Badgett, panel says

(Winston-Salem Journal) - Mark Badgett, a District Court judge for Surry and Stokes counties, should not be removed from office but should be publicly condemned for misconduct, the N.C. Judicial Standards Commission recommended this week.

The N.C. Supreme Court will make a final decision on the recommendation.

The commission recommended that Badgett be censured. A censure is a formal citing of a judge's misconduct and goes on the judge's permanent record. The commission, which held hearings late last year and early this year, had two options for punishment, censuring Badgett or removing him from the bench.