Controversial Phila. Traffic Court judge is said to have resigned post

The controversial Philadelphia Traffic Court judge who was suspended after allegedly showing a photo of his genitals to a female court staffer has apparently resigned his elected post.

Willie Singletary, who was elected traffic court judge in 2007, submitted his resignation by email to Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Gary S. Glazer, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Wednesday.

Glazer was appointed acting administrative judge of traffic court late last year following a federal probe into an alleged ticket-fixing scandal at the minor judiciary.

Philadelphia Traffic Court judges need no legal background, and don’t have to be licensed attorneys, in order to get elected to the bench.

Because a judge has to resign directly to the governor under state law, Singletary will have to resubmit his resignation to Gov. Tom Corbett in order for it to take effect, the Inquirer reported.

A spokesman for the governor told the newspaper that that apparently had not yet happened as of Wednesday afternoon.

Singletary was suspended without pay earlier this year after allegations surfaced that the judge showed a cell phone photo of his private areas to a female court worker.

The Judicial Conduct Board undertook an investigation following his suspension.

Singletary was no stranger to controversy. Shortly after his 2007 election, Singletary made headlines after a video surfaced that apparently showed the then-judicial candidate purportedly offering special treatment to campaign supporters.

The video, which was available on the website YouTube, showed Singletary seeking campaign donations while attending a motorcycle rally.

The Judicial Conduct Board reprimanded Singletary for his actions at the time, the Inquirer reported, but no further action was taken because Singletary wasn’t a lawyer at the time of the incident and had not yet been an elected official.

Singletary was a controversial figure for another reason; the traffic court judge, who ruled on motor vehicle violations, had himself racked up more than $11,000 in traffic fines and had his license suspended until 2011.