HUDSONVILLE, MI -- Hudsonville District Court Judge Kenneth Post is ready to accept a 30-day suspension from the bench after he threw an attorney in jail in December 2011 for contempt of court.

Post's attorney, Doug Van Essen, on Monday said Post is willing to accept last month's recommendation from the state Judicial Tenure Commission that he serve a 30-day suspension.

The matter must still go to the state Supreme Court for a final decision. Justices there can approve the recommendation or make changes to stiffen or decrease the penalty.

Post came under fire after a terse exchange with Montcalm County attorney Scott Millard over whether Millard's client needed to answer questions about recent drug use.

Post was asking the questions to make sure Millard's client would not test "dirty" the next time he gave a drug-testing sample.

Related: Beleaguered Hudsonville Judge Ken Post wants disciplinary process to be done, attorney says

But Millard advised his client not to answer because it violated his right against self-incrimination.

Since the JTC's recommendation on March 13 for the 30-day suspension, Post has decided he will accept the penalty, Van Essen said.

"He acknowledged that he was rude in his contact with (Millard)," Van Essen wrote in a letter to the state Supreme Court.

"He deeply regrets his conduct as directed to (Millard) and also the fact that his actions required the JTC to take the action that resulted in their recommendation," he wrote.

"He respectfully requests the Michigan Supreme Court consider and accept the JTC's March 13, 2013 recommendation," Van Essen wrote.

E-mail John Tunison: jtunison@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/johntunison