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Discipline court rejects deal in justice's e-mail case

HARRISBURG — A discipline court considering ethics charges against a suspended Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice over his exchange of objectionable e-mails says it will not entertain details of a proposed deal to resolve the case, keeping trial on track for later this month.

The Court of Judicial Discipline Wednesday ruled against a motion filed a day earlier by Justice Michael Eakin that requested the full court consider what has been described as a written agreement to settle.

The terms have not been disclosed publicly, and the court’s latest ruling prevents Eakin’s lawyers or the Judicial Conduct Board from informing the court about them.

The ruling by the full court said its rules “make no provision for” the parties to present agreements, or stipulations, about legal conclusions or any possible penalties. Eakin faces possible removal from the bench if convicted.

The three-judge panel handling Eakin’s case insisted during a hearing last month that neither side describe the deal. Judge Jack Panella, a panel member, said the matter raised important issues that went beyond Eakin to concern Pennsylvania’s 1,000-person judiciary as a whole.

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