A suspended Supreme Court justice from Pennsylvania with a pending ethics case could face a decision from the court once a hearing in Pittsburgh will be heard. The judge was suspended over his email practices.
Justice Michael Eakin was ordered by the Court of Judicial Discipline to be present inside the courtroom on Thursday. This order was requested so that a motion filed jointly by Eakin's attorneys and lawyers could be considered for the Judicial Conduct Board.
The 67-year-old judge has been alleged for violating conduct standards for judges. As reported on Pottsmerc, the judge had exchanged emails containing lascivious images and content that were demeaning towards immigrants, Muslims, women, and many others.
The court scheduled the hearing this week, which comes a day after the board and Eakin asked for some "additional proposed stipulations" of facts would be considered by the court. The board is responsible for investigating and prosecuting such alleged judicial misconducts by its officials.
According to Eakin's lawyers, the hearing may result to a decision by the ethics charges. Once convicted, however, Eakin may be removed from the bench. The court has brought in a mediator after the motion.
The former Cumberland County district attorney has since apologized for the insensitive emails he was alleged with. Eakin, however, argues that his conduct does not merit discipline.
Dozens of people have already been fired, disciplined, or have resigned under pressure after the email scandal first broke. The involvement of Eakin in the scandal was first publicized in late 2014 along with Justice Seamus McCaffery. An earlier report by Triblive showed that Eakin claimed he received a threat from McCaffery to leak the emails once he did not side with the latter against a third justice. McCaffery denied such claims made by Eakin before his retirement.
In December, ABC 27 reported that Eakin apologized at a suspension hearing. His next ethics charges trial is set for March 29 in Philadelphia.
