A memorial service is scheduled Tuesday in Staunton for former Virginia Supreme Court Justice and state legislator George Moffett Cochran.

An obituary posted on Henry Funeral Home's website says Cochran died Saturday at his home in Staunton. He was 98.

Local historian Katharine Brown told The News Leader that Cochran was among a handful of people who fought against Virginia's "Massive Resistance," the state-sanctioned response to the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled unconstitutional school segregation.

Cochran served on the Virginia Supreme Court from 1969 until he retired in 1987. He also was a state delegate from 1948 to 1966 and a senator from 1966 to 1968.

Tuesday's service will be held at 3 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton.

Herman Michels, a noted lawyer and the former presiding judge for administration of New Jersey's appellate courts division, has died. He was 83.

Michels death on Friday was announced by Gibbons PC, where he served as the law firm's counsel. The firm — which has offices in New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia and Delaware — did not disclose further details, including a cause of death.

The Short Hills resident was appointed to the bench in 1972. He was assigned to the appellate division two years later and became its presiding judge in 1980. He was named as the division's presiding judge for administration in 1985 and served until his retirement in September 1997.

During his time on the bench, Michels wrote more than 3,000 appellate division opinions, including 400 which were published. He was a graduate of Rutgers Law School.

After retiring as a judge, Michels spent more than 10 years with the Gibbons firm, serving as an arbitrator or mediator for hundreds of legal matters. He also was a past chairman of New Jersey's state ethics commission.

"The Judiciary has lost a great champion of the courts and the rule of law," said New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner. "For those with whom he served, it was an honor to have worked with a truly great man and mentor.

A attorney has been suspended by the South Carolina Supreme Court, barring him from practicing law in the state for two years.

According to documents filed last month, Jeffrey Scott Holcombe of Irmo admitted misconduct and consented to the disciplinary action. The matter was brought before the Supreme Court by the state Office of Disciplinary Counsel.

Holcombe admitted to the court he violated several provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct to provide competent representation, acting with reasonable diligence and promptness and holding client property in his possession separate from the lawyer's own property.

The court cited three matters in reaching its decision to suspend Holcombe from practicing law. Holcombe represented a client who had been injured on a cruise ship while he worked with one law firm. After leaving the firm, Holcombe's lack of action on the case caused the stature of limitations to run out on the client's claim against the cruise line.

The court documents also showed Holcombe didn't notify another client of the outcome of his post-conviction relief matter. He also failed to respond to the Disciplinary Counsel's initial inquiry into the matter.