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Ex-judge suspended as lawyer

HIGH COURT RULES IN WAKE OF MAIL FRAUD CASE

By Joe Biesk

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FRANKFORT --

A former Eastern Kentucky circuit judge convicted of mail fraud has been suspended from practicing law by the Kentucky Supreme Court.

The court ruled Thursday that Douglas C. Combs Jr. should be temporarily suspended from practicing law until further notice. Combs was convicted of federal mail fraud in November and sentenced to six months in prison and a $3,000 fine.

Chief Justice Joseph Lambert wrote in the court's opinion that Combs' conduct raised questions about his fitness to practice law.

Combs' plea of guilty to mail fraud in U.S. District Court "put in grave issue whether (he) has the moral fitness to continue to practice law," Lambert wrote.

Combs was a circuit court judge in Perry County. He pleaded guilty in November to mail fraud charges and admitted to hiring temporary employees as substitute court reporters that he instead used to work on his personal business.

Federal prosecutors said that paychecks were mailed to people improperly listed as substitutes.

The former judge stepped down from the bench in April 2004.

Combs, 51, is serving a six- month prison sentence and was unable to be reached for comment.