He will be allowed to remain in office while Judge Lacey conducts the hearing.

Although the big firm has offices across two continents and 11 time zones, half the items seem to be about Judge Lacey himself.

The case was assigned to Judge Lacey.

Under regulations already in force, Judge Lacey will have strong protection against arbitrary dismissal, which is a safeguard for independence.

Congressional staff members also said today that some lawmakers were considering summoning Judge Lacey to testify before Congress about his conclusions.

"You have a one-parent family, probably below the poverty line," Judge Lacey said, describing the typical defendant's family life.

"You don't see that anymore," Judge Lacey said.

They were neither the youngest nor necessarily the worst Judge Lacey had seen.

"I'm not going to say that Jacob is going to come out and kill somebody or be a model citizen," Judge Lacey said.

In the letters, Judge Lacey said both sides could present additional evidence at a final hearing on Feb. 10 before he announced his findings.