A New Jersey judge who asked a woman if she had closed her legs to try to prevent an alleged sexual assault should be suspended without pay for three months, a state committee has recommended.

The recommendation in March was based on the committee’s finding that John F. Russo Jr., a superior court judge in Ocean County, violated the code of judicial conduct on four occasions, including during the exchange with the woman, who was not identified.

This week, the New Jersey Supreme Court ordered that a hearing be held in July about the recommendation from the state’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct.

A lawyer for Judge Russo declined to comment on Friday night.

“Judge Russo looks forward to a public hearing in which he will be able to respond to the allegations against him,” the lawyer, David F. Corrigan, told NBC4 in March of last year, after a complaint was filed. “We have respect for the process as well as the advisory committee on judicial conduct, and therefore won’t comment further.”