Judge Elected in 2012 Resigns

A Putnam County magistrate has resigned from office, leaving a two-sentence resignation letter on his desk. Jennifer Bundy, a spokeswoman for the state Supreme Court, tells the Charleston Gazette-Mail that Scot Lawrence left the note addressed to Chief Putnam Circuit Judge Phillip Stowers saying the resignation would be effective midnight Sunday. Lawrence had served as a state trooper for 25 years before being elected in 2012. Last year, justices barred Lawrence from handling domestic violence cases pending the outcome of an investigation following a complaint against him.