State Supreme Court OKs Drunken Judge's Suspension

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered a 90-day suspension for a judge who towed a boat and a trailer at a public boat launch while being highly drunk.

The court last week agreed with a settlement reached by Ypsilanti District Judge Kirk Tabbey and a watchdog agency, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission.

Tabbey's alcohol level was 0.17 percent, more than double the state's legal limit of 0.08 percent. The incident occurred in northern Michigan's Antrim County in September.

Tabbey pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and paid a fine.

The Supreme Court says Tabbey's 90-day unpaid suspension can run at the same time as his sick leave. He's been a judge for more than 17 years and handles many drunken driving cases.