High court suspends judge but doesn't stop pay

BRIGHTON (AP) — A Livingston County judge facing criminal charges and ethics violations has been suspended with pay by the Michigan Supreme Court.

The court suspended Theresa Brennan but didn’t stop her $143,000 salary. It’s not clear what work she’s been doing: Brennan’s caseload was yanked last June by the county’s chief judge.

The Judicial Tenure Commission, a watchdog agency over the judiciary, had requested that her salary be put in escrow.

Brennan is accused of perjury and destroying evidence in her divorce case. In the misconduct matter, she’s accused of many ethics violations in how she ran her office as well as for a relationship with a state police detective during a murder trial.

The ethics case is being presented by the staff of the Judicial Tenure Commission. Brennan says she’s a victim of sexism.