CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Friday ordered Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Pinkey S. Carr to stop presiding over criminal and traffic cases temporarily.

Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor wrote that the court received a motion to disqualify Carr from hearing such cases and held that Carr “is deprived of any authority to preside in all criminal and traffic proceedings” until O’Connor renders a final decision.

UPDATE: Judge called public defender ‘little idiot’ after he asked to tell his clients not to come to court amid coronavirus pandemic, video shows

Two people with pending traffic cases in Carr’s courtroom filed the motion. Carr has until 9 a.m. Tuesday to respond.

Carr has come under fire this week after she refused to follow Administrative and Presiding Judge Michelle Earley’s order for all of the court’s judges to postpone all court hearings for defendants who are not in jail as an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. A court spokesman confirmed Carr held hearings and issued arrest warrants for those who failed to appear.

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