Supreme Court orders ex-judge to pay $16.5K

LANSING (AP) -- The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered ousted Inkster judge Sylvia James to pay $16,500 in costs to the Judicial Tenure Commission. The court made the order last Friday night. James lost her seat on the 22nd District Court bench earlier this year after the Michigan Supreme Court found she committed judicial misconduct. The Supreme Court affirmed the findings of the Judicial Tenure Commission and said James had misused public funds, including some intended for crime victims. In September, Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Sabrina Johnson to replace James for the remainder of her term. James ran for the seat in the November election but lost to Johnson. A message seeking comment from Mayer Morganroth, an attorney for James, was left Saturday by The Associated Press. Published: Tue, Dec 11, 2012