Retired Judge Denies Charges of Misconduct

A retired judge denied charges that he should have disqualified himself from two traffic cases involving friends of his former campaign manager while he was on the bench, according to a document filed Wednesday with the state's judicial discipline agency.

James R. Simpson also denied that he improperly tried to influence two court commissioners and a Glendale police officer to give favorable treatment to his friends while serving as a judge.

Last month, the state Commission on Judicial Performance filed six counts of ethics violations against Simpson, who, if found guilty of misconduct, could be barred from handling cases as a temporary judge.