Judge says state won't pay for ex-Durham DA's appeal

Durham, N.C. — A Superior Court judge has ruled that the state won't cover the legal expenses of ousted Durham County District Attorney Tracey Cline, who is appealing her removal from office.

Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood said in his June 26 order that the state "has never funded attorney representation for the appealing party," and that there isn't any money to pay for her attorney anyway.

Defense attorney James Van Camp said Tuesday that his office hasn't withdrawn from Cline's case in light of Hobgood's ruling.

Hobgood ordered in March that Cline be removed as district attorney after holding a four-day inquiry into her conduct. He ruled that she had "brought the office of the Durham County District Attorney and the entire Durham County justice system into disrepute" through her repeated public criticisms of Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson.

Cline alleged in court filings that Hudson was biased against her and her office and asked to have him barred from handling criminal cases in Durham County.

In the lengthy motions, she said the judge has "the reprobate mind of a monarch," said his conduct involved "moral turpitude, dishonesty and corruption," that his actions "raped" crime victims and "kidnapped the rights of victims and their families" and that his only goal was "to demean the district attorney at all costs."

Two other judges found her complaints to be groundless.

The North Carolina State Bar also is seeking disciplinary action against Cline for her attacks on Hudson. A hearing has been scheduled for October.

16 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 16 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

"She seems to have it all, with the exception of a little common sense. " - Seeminglyopposed

As outlined in the N&O's Twisted Truth series, Tracey Cline did NOT have it all. She lacked integrity, management capability, the ability to communicate properly in writing, and many other aspects expected of a District Attorney. This is why she was removed from office and will lose her law license in October at the NC Bar hearing.

http://www.newsobserver.com/twistedtruth/

westernwake1
July 10, 2012 2:31 p.m.

She seems to have it all, with the exception of a little common sense. To take a chance to blow her career and to continue to help thoses she is trying so much to protect. She needed someone who was accustomed to telling her "NO", if she consulted with them before she took this course of action. Now she can not help anybody and that is the sad thing about this entire ordeal.

Seeminglyopposed
July 10, 2012 2:14 p.m.

Bronco ... well said ... I had pretty low opinions of her until I saw he in court, she's seems like a good person. Probably used to getting what she wants to some degree but she was unwise in picking her battles. I dont think she should lose her law degree but she needs to be sat down and told -- dont do that!, you'll get into trouble!

bombayrunner
July 10, 2012 1:51 p.m.

well, if you don't ask you don't know. She was very good in court if anyone watched. Probably a bit to passionate for the role. Go back and get a Nurse Degree is my suggestion, it needs passionate people and it can be expanded to law and you can be passionate all you want and fell like you accomplished something.

bombayrunner
July 10, 2012 1:48 p.m.

I've not been keeping up with this incident since Tracy was released from her job but i hear the State Bar may be trying to take her ability to practice law..well if that is the case, the State Bar should without a doubt take CONVICTED Felons license also..Tracy did make some terrible errors in judgment, however, I do not think they rise to the level of taking her ability to practice law. Maybe she could do Real Estate Law or some other kind of practice..Nevertheless, the State Bar is notorious for uneven treatment of SOME of it's members while other CONVICTED FELONS and other DA's who hide evidence get slaps on their back.