Ex-DA seeks delay in State Bar disciplinary hearing

Durham, N.C. — Former Durham County District Attorney Tracey Cline has requested that the North Carolina State Bar postpone its disciplinary hearing against her until an appeal of her removal has been decided.

A panel of three State Bar members is scheduled to hold a hearing for Cline Oct. 1-5 at Campbell University Law School in downtown Raleigh.

Cline was removed from office in March after Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood found that she had damaged the Durham County justice system through her repeated allegations that Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson was corrupt and biased against her.

Cline has appealed the ruling on free speech and due process issues.

The complaint before the State Bar alleges that Cline committed five violations of rules requiring lawyers to be honest and trustworthy. Her motion for a delay states that some of Hobgood's findings, which likely would be part of the State Bar's case, could be thrown out on appeal.

The State Bar imposes discipline on members who it deems have interfered with the administration of justice, but it is not clear what punishment Cline could face.

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Latest Comments

Are you all serious this is just another case of a robe abusing power. If he is interfering with her doing her job repeatedly she has a right to file a complaint. Its how dare you complain about a judge mistreating you. Letting another judge decide if another judge did something wrong is a joke.That's like you file a police brutality report and another police office decides if you were actually assaulted hmmm wonder what the conclusion would be?I wonder why he's fighting so hard not to release his emails.

ylmclean73
July 20, 2012 7:53 p.m.

I think that she should lose her appeal but I don't think that she should lose her law license permanently. She should have it suspended for a period of time and be required to get some ethics training and counseling. With some of the other things that lawyers around the state have done and still kept their license, I think she should have a future opportunity to earn a living as a lwyer, just never in public office.

samr
July 20, 2012 7:13 p.m.

What does it really matter whether or not they take her license. No one with half a brain would ever hire her for anything.

disgusted2010
July 20, 2012 6:50 p.m.

She SHOULD NOT get a postponement. She just keeps trying to drag this out and needs to be gone! What the NC State Bar SHOULD do is disbar her.

Scubagirl
July 20, 2012 6:32 p.m.

The North Carolina State Bar should not grant this postponement. Waiting until October for this hearing to remove Tracey Cline's law license is already way too long.