"Last year, he asked the State Bar to investigate Cooper for possible professional misconduct related to the long-running dispute. He said the State Bar never replied to his request, so he filed suit in January to obtain a court order to compel the agency to refer his complaint to an outside investigator."
This tells you that the primary interest of the NC State Bar is political, not ethical. Dirty, not clean. Full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness.
So Judge Stephens is just blowing bullshit here.
http://www.wral.com/raleigh-lawyer-falls-short-in-latest-battle-with-roy-cooper/15687931/
The Court on its own motion, as Boyce says, should have issued a show-cause to the conniving slanderer lawyers, including Roy Cooper, and referred the matter to the NC State Bar years ago for disciplinary action.
Now listen to the plaintiff, Attorney Eugene Boyce, issuing justified condemnation against shyster, Larry Leake, for refusing to recuse himself and participating in a corrupt conflict of interests as chairman of the State Board of Elections.