Zurik: Disciplinary Committee recommends suspension for former court clerk

NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVUE) - A committee has recommended suspension of the law license for a former court clerk in the First City Court who had thousands in questionable spending in his last days in office.

The hearing committee of the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommended a one-year suspension for Timothy David Ray, a lawyer who previously held the role of clerk for the First City Court. The committee investigated Ray following a series of reports by FOX 8 which exposed how Ray spent thousands after losing the election for the clerk’s office to the current clerk, Austin Badon.

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Ray is accused of spending money on shelving projects that were never done and moving file boxes, an expense that was already covered in existing court contracts.

The committee issued the recommendation for the suspension for making false statements about the spending to Judge Paulette Irons.

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The committee made up of a lawyer member, a public member and the committee chair heard arguments from both sides earlier this year and issued the recommendation in June. Ray can object to the committee’s findings and appeal the decision before the full Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board.