Superior Court Judge Romano DiBenedetto has resigned from Alaska’s Second Judicial District. The 57-year-old was awaiting a final ruling from the Alaska Supreme Court in a judicial misconduct investigation at the time of his resignation.
DiBenedetto submitted a letter of retirement Friday, with an effective date of April 1, 2026. His departure comes nearly two months after the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct concluded a public reprimand was sufficient punishment for multiple incidents regarding his conduct on and off the bench.
The commission found that DiBenedetto violated provisions of the Alaska Code of Judicial Conduct, particularly in ways that created an "appearance of impropriety" and "undermined public confidence in the judiciary."
Among the incidents cited was a Jan. 8, 2024, hearing in Unalakleet, where DiBenedetto delayed proceedings for nearly an hour due to a personal activity. When he arrived, he told attorneys he had “gotten lost,” later acknowledging that the explanation was not accurate. The commission determined that the delay and explanation gave the impression that court business was secondary to personal matters.
Investigators also documented what they described as a broader pattern of scheduling disruptions. Court staff and attorneys reported that hearings were frequently canceled, rescheduled, or delayed with little advance notice, often tied to the judge’s travel plans. Affidavits indicated that these changes created challenges for court personnel and imposed burdens on attorneys and litigants across the region.
Additional concerns centered on DiBenedetto’s behavior in the workplace. According to sworn statements, he at times impersonated courtroom participants and others using exaggerated accents, including Alaska Native individuals and a Vietnamese police officer. Staff members said the conduct created an "uncomfortable" environment.
According to the Anchorage Daily News, DiBenedetto collected his full salary of $259,729.08 while on administrative leave. DiBenedetto would’ve been on the ballot this fall for retention, had he remained in his role.
In a written statement submitted to the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct last July, Melanie Bahnke, president of Kawerak Inc., criticized DiBenedetto's alleged conduct and highlighted the importance of cultural awareness and respect in rural Alaska’s court system.
Bahnke called on DiBenedetto’s resignation in the July letter. In response to news of DiBenedetto's resignation, Bahnke issued the following statement.
"After being paid for over a year to do nothing, I’m glad this racist judge has finally done one good thing and decided to quit waiting to be absolved. I do wish the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct and the Alaska Supreme Court had acted swiftly and with moral clarity to send a message that there is no room for racist judges in our systems. That is disappointing. But I am happy overall that no further resources will be expended on ousting someone unbecoming of this position of authority. I hope that our next judge is more deserving of the authority and respect that comes with the position," Bahnke said in an email.
In court documents, DiBenedetto acknowledged that some of his actions violated ethical standards, particularly Canon 2A, which addresses the appearance of impropriety, but he disputed claims that his behavior demonstrated actual bias. The commission ultimately found insufficient evidence to conclude that he violated Canon 3B(5), which prohibits expressions of prejudice, but determined that his conduct still fell short of judicial expectations.
The commission characterized the misconduct as negligent rather than malicious and cited mitigating factors, including DiBenedetto’s cooperation during the investigation and his lack of prior disciplinary history. However, it also noted that his experience on the bench, having been appointed in 2017 and retained by voters in 2020, meant he should have been fully aware of the standards required of his position.
DiBenedetto, through counsel, accepted the commission’s findings and the recommended public reprimand at the January hearing.
His resignation leaves a vacancy in the Second Judicial District, which serves Nome and a vast portion of Western and Northwest Alaska. In the year since his suspension began, judges from Kotzebue and Utqiaġvik have filled hearings normally assigned to DiBenedetto, in addition to retired judges serving pro tempore.
Public Information Officer for Alaska Court System, Rebecca Koford, said a similar approach would be used until a permanent replacement for DiBenedetto is found.
"The court system will continue to provide visiting and pro tem judges to serve Nome until the position is filled," Koford said in an email Friday.
This story has been updated to more accurately characterize DiBenedetto's departure from the court system. While DiBenedetto submitted a letter of retirement, he is not automatically eligible to retire without approval from Governor Mike Dunleavy. References to "retirement" have been replaced with "resignation".
