§ 7A-754. Qualifications; standards of conduct; removal. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 7A‑754. Qualifications; standards of conduct; removal.

Only persons duly authorized to practice law in the General Court ofJustice shall be eligible for appointment as the Director and chiefadministrative law judge or as an administrative law judge in the Office ofAdministrative Hearings. The Chief Administrative Law Judge and theadministrative law judges shall comply with the Model Code of Judicial Conductfor State Administrative Law Judges, as adopted by the National Conference ofAdministrative Law Judges, Judicial Division, American Bar Association,(revised August 1998), as amended from time to time, except that the provisionsof this section shall control as to the private practice of law in lieu ofCanon 4G, and G.S. 126‑13 shall control as to political activity in lieuof Canon 5. Failure to comply with the applicable provisions of the Model Codemay constitute just cause for disciplinary action under Chapter 126 of theGeneral Statutes and grounds for removal from office. Neither the chief administrativelaw judge nor any administrative law judge may engage in the private practiceof law as defined in G.S. 84‑2.1 while in office; violation of thisprovision shall constitute just cause for disciplinary action under Chapter 126of the General Statutes and shall be grounds for removal from office. Eachadministrative law judge shall take the oaths required by Chapter 11 of theGeneral Statutes. An administrative law judge may be removed from office by theDirector of the Office of Administrative Hearings for just cause, as that termis used in G.S. 126‑35 and this section. (1985, c. 746, s. 2; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 1022,s. 6(1), 6(3); 1991, c. 103, s. 1; 2000‑190, s. 3.)