HARRISBURG — A member of the state Supreme Court is expected to appear in an eastern Pennsylvania courtroom for a hearing into whether he should be suspended while a judicial ethics court considers whether his e-mail practices warrant discipline.

The hearing inside the county courthouse in Easton today will give Justice Michael Eakin a chance to argue against his possible interim suspension by the Court of Judicial Discipline.

The Judicial Conduct Board filed charges against Eakin this month, accusing him of trading e-mails that someone of reasonable sensitivity would find objectionable. The board, which acts as investigator and prosecutor, alleged that Eakin did not respect the court system’s nondiscrimination policy and that he detracted from the dignity of his office.

In a response, Eakin’s lawyers argued against suspension, describing the e-mails as male banter that was not intended to become public, noting that he did not send e-mails that contained pornography and arguing he did not discuss court business or give his views on legal or political matters.

Eakin, 67, a Republican who has been on the high court since 2002, is a former Cumberland County district attorney.