BELL COUNTY, Texas — The trial that could remove Bell County Justice of the Peace Claudia Brown from office has been postponed to Feb. 4 because defense attorneys say they aren't ready.
Of course, it's a bit more complicated that.
Defense Attorney Thomas J. Baker filed an amended motion for a continuance Monday, a request that delayed the trial date.
"Attorney Baker himself had doubts whether Judge Brown desired his representation any further in August," the continuance says.
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Brown told Channel 6 in August that she let her legal team go.
The document states Austin attorney Randall Wood left the case and suggests that Baker didn't completely step away in order to keep Brown from trying to represent herself, even though he was unsure if he was still employed by her.
"Brown was believed not to be able to represent herself in this matter," Baker wrote.
The document also says that Baker needs to review some of the accusations against Brown.
Bell County Attorney Jim Nichols told Channel 6 Tuesday that he and the defense need to exchange paperwork.
In light of these circumstances, guest Judge Stephen Ables told both parties, "This thing has drug on too long, but I am sensitive to discovery issues."
Ables also told attorneys he does not want to postpone again.
"This is a very hard date that I gave you," he said.
Brown did not attend her hearing.
The State of Texas is bringing eight different allegations of misconduct against against Brown, including violations of the U.S. Constitution, The Texas Constitution and the Texas Criminal Code of Procedure.
The state is also bringing 14 different allegations of incompetency against Brown, including her alleged failure to fill out death certificates correctly, and one incident where the petition for removal states she implied to a family member that their loved one had been murdered when that individual died in a vehicle accident.