A Putnam County magistrate, who had been barred from handling domestic violence cases, cleaned out his office Sunday night and left a resignation letter on his desk.
Scot Lawrence, of Hurricane, who was elected magistrate in 2012, left a two-sentence note addressed to Chief Putnam Circuit Judge Phillip Stowers, which said his resignation would be effective at midnight Sunday, said Jennifer Bundy, a spokeswoman for the state Supreme Court.
"It is my duty to inform you I will be resigning as magistrate of Putnam County, West Virginia effective Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2400 hours. I would like to thank the citizens of Putnam County for allowing me to be of service," Bundy said Lawrence's letter read.
Lawrence, a Republican, who served as a State Police trooper for 25 years, ousted incumbent Kim Blair, claiming one of the county's three magistrate positions. Blair, who has since been serving as a senior status magistrate, was chosen by Supreme Court justices Monday to replace Lawrence until Stowers picks a permanent replacement to finish his term, which ends next year.
Last year, justices ordered that Lawrence no longer be allowed to preside over domestic violence cases, pending the outcome of an investigation by the state Judicial Investigation Commission.
According to an order on file in the Supreme Court Clerk's office, Teresa Tarr, head of the Judicial Investigation Commission, presented justices with a report about Lawrence in response to a complaint that had been filed against him by Supreme Court Administrator Steve Canterbury. The complaint isn't available to the public.
In Oct. 2014, the majority of justices found that Lawrence hadn't committed "a serious violation" of the Code of Judicial Conduct, but remanded the matter to the investigation commission for further investigation and, "if warranted, the filing of formal charges."
Justice Allen Loughry said Lawrence had violated the code of conduct and voted to suspend Lawrence without pay until the matter is concluded, according to the Oct. 2014 order.
Nothing public has been filed since then against Lawrence, Bundy said. Tarr said she can discuss cases only after an admonishment or statement of charges is filed. Neither have been filed against Lawrence, she said Monday.
In August, Lawrence challenged a Hurricane man to a fight during a court proceeding after the man insulted him, according to a recording of the hearing posted online.
Troy Sexton uploaded a recording of a portion of his appearance before Lawrence for traffic citations. Lawrence appears agitated from the beginning of the hearing and notes his disdain for motions Sexton filed that use derogatory language toward him. He also notes that he's aware of Sexton's criminal history.
"You know I know who he is," the magistrate tells someone in his courtroom, according to the recording. "I know what he does, OK? I'll take care of this."
Sexton served time in jail for domestic battery against his two 6-year-old sons at football practice and was charged with DUI last year. Also last year, Sexton was jailed in Cincinnati after being accused of trespassing and making threats at the Cincinnati Reds' Great American Ball Park, from which he was banned seven years ago.
Sexton, 41, appeared before Lawrence because he had been charged with not wearing a seatbelt and having illegally tinted windows. He admitted to both in court, according to his recording.
Lawrence can be heard in the recording telling Sexton the motions he filed contain "fighting words."
"Let's discuss a few other things since you're up here. Where I come from ... to me those are fighting words. Do you want to fight me? Is that what you want?" Lawrence could be heard saying.
Lawrence never commented about the hearing with Sexton and he couldn't be reached Monday to speak about his resignation.
Reach Kate White at kate.white@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1723 or follow @KateLWhite on Twitter.