Town of Macomb justice Lafayette Young Jr. says he feels he's the "victim of a witch hunt" and is innocent of allegations of unethical behavior while presiding over certain cases on the bench.
 
Young tells 7 News the state Court of Appeals issued a ruling on November 17 that he be suspended with pay.

The court also directed the Commission on Judicial Conduct to conduct another review of his case.

Young had appealed a commission recommendation to remove him from the bench for presiding over cases involving his girlfriend's relatives.

Young denied the woman was his girlfriend and says she is a life-long friend. Young says the commission wrongly described Robyne Petrie-Platt as his spouse in paperwork containing the allegations.

He says he has done nothing wrong and will continue to fight any attempt to remove him from from the bench permanently.

Young has served as Macomb town judge since 2004. His current term is due to expire in 2014.