Taj Mahal judge to resign

St. Pete Times’ Lucy Morgan has the scoop: 1st District Court Judge Paul M. Hawkes is resigning from the court to avoid an ethics trial before the Judicial Qualifications Commission. Hawkes was charged in May with conduct unbecoming a judge, destroying public records and intimidating state employees involved in the construction of the court’s new $50 million courthouse which many have dubbed a “Taj Mahal.” Read more.