New Hampshire High Court Opens Misconduct Case Against Judge Who Helped Now-Disbarred Hubby In Attempt To Stiff State Bar; Boot From Bench Possible

In New Hampshire, the Concord Monitor reports:

• The state Supreme Court opened its misconduct case of Judge Patricia Coffey [last week] with several pointed questions about the trust she created and used to shield her husband's assets from creditors. Among the questions was this one: Did Coffey establish the trust so she and her husband, former lawyer John Coffey, could avoid a $75,000 legal bill John Coffey owed for his disbarment proceedings? And this one: Did Coffey break the law when she moved the couple's property into that trust and beyond the reach of creditors? Coffey answered similar questions for the Judicial Conduct Committee last year when it first investigated the trust. That group can only recommend punishment to the state Supreme Court and voted 8-3 in December that Coffey be suspended without pay for three months.

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• Now it's up to the high court to review the case itself and render its own response, which can range from no punishment to a lengthy suspension. Coffey and her lawyer, Russell Hilliard, initially asked for a public censure only but last month said they would accept a three-month suspension. However, even the state Supreme Court's ruling isn't likely to be the last word on Coffey's future. Two lawmakers are drafting legislation to remove Coffey from the bench for good. Gov. John Lynch, who has publicly asked for Coffey's resignation, supports the measure, according to New Hampshire Public Radio.

For more, see Coffey faces pointed questions.

Go here for earlier posts on the investigation of Judge Patricia Coffey.

For other posts on some of the alleged knuckleheaded members of our esteemed judiciary, go here and go here. knuckleheaded judges zeta