New Judge Assigned in Charles Bediako NCAA Case

Judge who previously presided over case recused himself due to donations to Alabama athletics

Jan. 28, 2026 at 7:15pm

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The NCAA lawsuit filed by Alabama basketball player Charles Bediako has a new judge after the original presiding judge, James Roberts, recused himself from the case. Roberts had previously donated between $100,000 and $249,000 to the University of Alabama athletic department, which raised concerns about potential bias. The case has now been reassigned to Judge Daniel Pruet, who did not attend law school at Alabama but received his bachelor's degree from the university. Pruet is also presiding over the capital murder trial of Bediako's former teammate, Darius Miles.

Why it matters

The Bediako case highlights the complex relationship between college athletes, the NCAA, and the universities they play for. The recusal of the original judge due to his donations to Alabama athletics raises questions about potential conflicts of interest in the judicial process surrounding high-profile student-athlete cases.

The details

After Bediako was granted a temporary restraining order allowing him to continue playing for Alabama, the NCAA filed a motion for Judge Roberts to recuse himself due to his donations to the university's athletic department. While the NCAA said it did not believe Roberts showed any actual bias, the intense media scrutiny and public speculation surrounding the judge's relationship with Alabama led to the recusal. The case has now been reassigned to Judge Daniel Pruet, who did not attend law school at Alabama but received his bachelor's degree from the university. Pruet is also presiding over the capital murder trial of Bediako's former teammate, Darius Miles.

  • On Tuesday night, the NCAA filed a motion for Judge Roberts to recuse himself from the case.
  • On Wednesday morning, Judge Roberts granted the motion to recuse himself.
  • The case has now been reassigned to Judge Daniel Pruet.

The players

Charles Bediako

An Alabama basketball player who has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA over his eligibility.

Judge James Roberts

The original presiding judge in the Bediako case, who recused himself due to his donations to Alabama athletics.

Judge Daniel Pruet

The new judge assigned to the Bediako case, who is also presiding over the capital murder trial of Bediako's former teammate, Darius Miles.

Darius Miles

Bediako's former Alabama basketball teammate who is facing a capital murder trial.

NCAA

The organization being sued by Bediako over his eligibility.

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What they’re saying

“The NCAA has faith in the judicial process and does not currently contend the Court has an actual bias, partiality, or prejudice. Similarly, the NCAA does not allege that any actual bias motivated the Court's granting of a temporary restraining order.”

— NCAA

“Charles has done nothing wrong. Charles and his agent and his attorneys have seen what's gone on in the landscape of college basketball, and they didn't see a reason why Charles wouldn't be eligible.”

— Nate Oats, Alabama Head Coach

What’s next

The case will now proceed with Judge Pruet presiding over the hearing for a preliminary injunction that would allow Bediako to continue playing for Alabama for the remainder of the 2025-2026 season.

The takeaway

The reassignment of the Bediako case to a new judge highlights the complex web of relationships between college athletes, universities, and the NCAA. The potential conflicts of interest raised by the original judge's donations to Alabama athletics underscore the need for impartiality and transparency in the judicial process surrounding high-profile student-athlete cases.