Disbarred Judge Still Drawing Salary - Former District Court Judge James Ethridge was stripped of his license to practice law in October, which resulted in his removal from the bench last year. However, Ethridge never resigned from his position and is still drawing his annual salary of $101,376. Last May, the NC State Bar filed a complaint against Ethridge saying he was dishonest in the handling of Rosalind Sweet’s funds when he was an attorney in 2001, three years before he was elected to the bench. In October, the Bar revoked his license after hearing testimony Ethridge transferred the woman’s home into his name, plus moved $14,249 from her bank account to his personal account. Ethridge contended during the hearing he was simply safeguarding her property. After being removed from the bench, taxpayers have spent $9,300 to hire substitute judges to fill in for Etheridge, who is still drawing his full salary. Unless Ethridge voluntarily resigns, there are two ways to prevent him from still being paid his full salary until the end of his term in Dec. 2008. The Judicial Standards Commission can remove Ethridge or the full General Assembly can impeach him. Ethridge has appealed the State Bar’s decision. The appeals process could take up to a year.
Looks like the guy did the right thing and resigned http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/531187.html "An embattled District Court judge decided to resign Wednesday rather than continue to be paid for a job he couldn't do. James Ethridge has given up his job, said his attorney, Alan Schneider. The move came two days after state officials admitted they didn't know how to remove him from the bench even though the N.C. State Bar has stripped him of his law license." "In 2001, Ethridge met Rosalind Sweet, a retired schoolteacher who was battling Alzheimer's disease. A neighbor has said Sweet thought Ethridge was her boyfriend. Over the course of several months, Sweet deeded her home to Ethridge and handed over her life savings of $14,249. During that period, a social worker found her living in a home without running water, her kitchen cupboards bare. Ethridge told a committee of the State Bar in October that Sweet begged him to safeguard her assets from relatives wanting to put her in a nursing home and take her money. Ethridge said he agreed to help just to be kind. During the fall of 2001, Ethridge used Sweet's money to upholster a chair in his office and cut checks to his wife and for cash. Months later, he handed over an envelope with Sweet's name on it, full of cash, for a pastor to hold, according to records and testimony presented during the State Bar hearing. Ethridge returned the final $2,250 he owed Sweet's estate a month before the State Bar hearing. This week, Ethridge said he thought the State Bar had made a bad decision when it took his license, and he vowed to fight in an appeal. Even if the appeal goes Ethridge's way and he wins back his license, he wouldn't necessarily get back his job as judge. Ethridge would have to be appointed to the bench or win another election. Ethridge's troubles might not be over. The State Bureau of Investigation will be reviewing his dealings with Sweet to determine whether he broke the law."
Now, lets see if he returns the money he has been paid since October... over 1500 a week... I doubt it. Until then he's scum in my book.
Disbarred North Carolina Judge to Resign Next Week, Attorney Says Posted: Today at 1:52 a.m. Updated: Today at 9:47 a.m. RALEIGH, N.C. — A district court judge who continued to earn his six-digit salary after losing his law license has decided to resign, the judge's attorney said. ... http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/1133253/
