Alaska Superior Court Judge Romano DiBenedetto of Nome, appointed by former Gov. Bill Walker in 2017, has been recommended for a public reprimand by the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct, following findings that he breached judicial conduct standards both inside and outside the courtroom.
In the first incident in which he was charged, Judge DiBenedetto presided over a motion hearing in Unalakleet on Jan. 8, 2024, after regular work hours. The Commission found he arrived nearly one hour late, reportedly because he had been watching a televised sports event. The College Football Playoff National Championship was that afternoon, with the Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies.
He later claimed he was “getting lost.” But the delay was deemed a breach of Canons 2A and 3A of the Alaska Court System’s policies…