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District Judge Prohl resigns from bench
Published September 17, 2009
With a full year still left in his term, 198th District Judge Emil Karl Prohl resigned on Tuesday, with no clear reason why.
Prohl, 69, who has served on the 198th court for 18 years, announced his resignation in a letter submitted Tuesday to State District Judge Steve Ables, according to several sources in the local legal community.
“His announcement seems to have caught the whole legal community a bit by surprise,” said 198th District Attorney Amos Barton.
Prohl’s letter of resignation — which is “effective immediately” — gave no reason for the sudden abdication of the bench, and Prohl himself could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Anna Beth Patterson, coordinator for the 198th and 216th District Courts in Kerr County, said Prohl’s resignation was so he could start his retirement.
“He’s served on the bench for nearly 19 years, and he’s 69 years old, many other people would have retired by now,” said Patterson. “I think this is fairly normal.”
But Prohl’s resignation comes amid an investigation by the state attorney general into the former judge’s alleged acceptance of money from former district attorney
Ron Sutton.
The investigation is the result of a complaint alleging misappropriation of the asset forfeiture fund filed by Kerrville attorney Richard Ellison, according to a spokesman for the attorney general’s office.
The complaint concerns misuse of funds to buy office equipment and attend conferences, among other grievances.
Ellison could not be reached for comment.
Although few in the local legal community would speculate on the reason for Prohl’s sudden and unexpected resignation, many praised his service.
“I have enjoyed arguing for the state in front of Judge Prohl,” Barton said. “On the bench, he was down-the-middle fair, even when we disagreed.”
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