A south Mississippi judge has been suspended after complaints that he pushed a court clerk and slapped her hand.

Jefferson County Justice Court Judge Wendell Williams also acted “impatient, rude and threatening” toward court staff and people in the courtroom, according to complaints filed with the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance.

The state Supreme Court handed down an order Dec. 12 suspending Williams without pay until the commission resolves the formal process of handling the complaints against him.

Justice court judges in Mississippi do not have to be attorneys, and the Mississippi Bar Association directory does not list an attorney named Wendell Williams.

The Associated Press left a message for Williams at the Jefferson County Justice Court office on Thursday, and the call was not immediately returned.