Judge Rucker Smith of Americus, GA; drunken convict

The State of Georgia presented R. Rucker Smith with a law license in 1979 after he graduated from Emory University Law School.

The Judicial Qualifications Commission found Rucker guilty of the following misconduct.

In one matter, Rucker pled guilty to reckless driving. He was pulled over in May 2011 for driving 73 mph in a 45 mph zone. An officer charged him with have an open container of booze, driving under the influence (DUI) and speeding.

It should be noted that a couple of years earlier Rucker was arrested for battering his girlfriend. During the trial he lied under oath when he falsely testified that he had never previously been arrested.

However, Barry Morgan, a special prosecutor from Cobb County, produced a Georgia Crime Information Center report proving that Rucker had been previously arrested for driving under the influence and possession of marijuana.

In a lame effort at levity, Rucker laughingly claimed he didn’t recall being arrested for the DUI and possession of marijuana. Clearly, Rucker missed his calling as a standup comedian.

As a consequence of his misconduct, the enablers for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Judicial Commission punished Rucker by gifting him with a complimentary reprimand.

As we speak (ca. April 2016), Rucker continues to sit as Southwestern Judicial Circuit Chief Superior Court Judge in Americus, Georgia, but only when he’s sober.