A Portsmouth General District Court judge has been removed from the bench by the Virginia Supreme Court, according to city officials.State police served Archie Elliott Jr. with the order Thursday night, according to a memo from City Manager James B. Oliver Jr., who said he learned of the action from Sheriff Gary W. Waters.The reasons for Elliott's removal were unclear, as was whether the move was permanent, The Virginian-Pilot reported yesterday. Elliott could not be reached Friday.The action follows unrest among the three judges on the Portsmouth General District Court bench about who should be their leader. Neither of the other two judges, S. Lee Morris or Morton V. Whitlow, could be reached for comment.After losing the election for chief judge, Elliott wrote and distributed letters to his colleagues, legislators and other judges saying the selection process was unfair, The Virginian-Pilot said. He also said blacks are underrepresented as clerks in the court's criminal division and underutilized as substitute judges.Elliott was elected Portsmouth's first black judge in 1979 and was reappointed to another six-year term last year. [more
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