NC Judge Gets 30-Day Suspension For Violating Conduct Code

A North Carolina District Court judge has been suspended without pay for 30 days for violating judicial rules because he served as the executor for the estates of two family friends. The state Supreme Court issued on Friday the suspension for Judge William Brooks, who holds court for four northwestern counties. The Code of Judicial Conduct prevents such work by a sitting judge except when the estate belongs to a family member. Friday's order also says he failed to report nearly $90,000 in the estates' commissions he received at the time. The Judicial Standards Commission had recommended that Brooks be censured.