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Superior Court Judge Investigated For Alleged Fraud
By Josh Rogers on Thursday, August 23, 2007.
The Seacoast judge who weathered accusations for sleeping in court is facing new problems. A special panel has charged Rockingham County Superior Court Judge Patricia Coffey with fraudulently shielding her husband's assets from creditors.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Josh Rogers has more.
The charges allege that Judge Coffey compromised the integrity of the judiciary by creating a trust to put her husband John J. Coffey's assets out of reach to creditors.
Prime among these creditors is the Professional Conduct Committee, which has been seeking legal fees relating to John Coffey's 2005 disbarment for exploiting a client suffering from dementia.
According to the charges facing Judge Coffey, she and her husband established their trust while his disciplinary proceedings were pending, and that she had reason to know he might be facing large legal bills.
In a sworn statement to the committee, Judge Coffey denied the trust was established to avoid collection of the PCC debt, but did acknowledge its timing appears compromising.
The proceeding she now faces will be prosecuted by a special investigator, former Attorney General Phil McLaughlin.
A public hearing, at which Judge Coffey can call witnesses and contest the charges, has been set for September 26th and 27th.
For NHPR News, I'm Josh Rogers.
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