RALEIGH - Durham District Attorney Tracey Cline has been suspended and faces the possibility that she may be removed from office.

Superior Court Judge Robert H. Hobgood of Franklin County issued the order after a complaint by Durham attorney Kerry Sutton.

The object of the complaint her numerous court filings made over the past three months attacking the integrity of Orlando Hudson, the senior judge in Durham.
Cline has sought to remove Hudson from all criminal cases in Durham, alleging that his conduct has been dishonest and corrupt.

Another judge issued Cline an admonition because of her motions, some of which were inaccurate.

The Raleigh News and Observer reports that in one motion, Cline wrote Hudson acted in an abuse of power that is "without legal consciousness of right and wrong, having a total and reckless disregard of the law, and a reprobate mind of a monarch, (that) aims to destroy and will destroy, the heart of our justice system if left unchecked."

Lawyers in Durham and legal scholars have attacked Cline's filings as unprecedented. Sutton, filed an affidavit that invoked a rare state law, requiring a judge to determine if Cline's actions are grounds for removal. Hobgood was assigned to hear the complaint and the newspaper reports he began reading files Thursday.

Judge Hobgood has scheduled a Feb. 13 hearing in the matter and Cline will have the opportunity to defend herself against Sutton;s charges.