Attorneys for 21st Circuit Judge Beth Maze are in court today, this time in Franklin County.
Maze is currently on paid leave after being charged with official misconduct by the state Judicial Conduct Committee. She also faces felony forgery charges in Bath County stemming from the arrest of her ex-husband on drug charges in 2017.
Maze claims the entire situation was orchestrated by Judge William Layne, his assistant Deanna Roberts, and Commonwealth’s Attorney Ronnie Goldy. Text messages between those parties have been subpoenaed, but are sealed in Bath County while officials await a decision by the State Court of Appeals decided if those messages should be read by the judge presiding in the criminal case
Maze’s Attorney, Tom Clay, says he will argue that the Judicial Conduct Committee does not have the authority to remove a Judge, who is an elected official, from the bench.
Clay says the provision only relates to disqualification from being a judge, not for criminal accusations.
Clay says he does not expect the Judge in today’s proceedings to make a ruling immediately.
Both Clay and the special prosecutor in the criminal case filed a motion for a change of venue last week. A final hearing with the Judicial Conduct Committee has been delayed while the Supreme Court cases are conducted.