Former Judge Herman Thomas Disbarred

8:00 p.m.
Herman Thomas' attorney says he will appeal the Alabama State Bar's decision. Bob Clark will file the appeal with the Alabama Supreme Court.

Thomas has a second disciplinary hearing Tuesday morning. Tony McLain, General Counsel for the Bar, could not say what the hearing is regarding.

4:30 p.m.
Former judge Herman Thomas has been disbarred by the Alabama Bar Association. That means he can not practice law in the state of Alabama for at least the next five years.

During a private hearing with a five member disciplinary panel, Thomas admitted to paddling up to five young men, according to Tony McLain, General Counsel for the Bar Association.

McLain says Thomas claimed to not remember the men's names and insisted they were not defendants in his courtroom.

LIVE report on News 5 at 5:00.

3:45 p.m.
The Alabama State Bar's disciplinary panel is deliberating whether Herman Thomas should be allowed to practice law.

The five member panel will decide whether Thomas is guilty of professional misconduct on allegations that he paddled and sexually abused defendants in his courtroom.

Thomas was cleared of the charges in criminal court in October, but Tony McLain, General Counsel for the Bar Assocation, says the rules of evidence are different in the Bar's proceedings.

The former circuit court judge's law license was suspended in April 2009 after the first of two rounds of criminal indictments.

1:15 p.m.
Sen. Vivian Davis-Figures was among the first witnesses to testify Monday afternoon in former Circuit Court Judge Herman Thomas' disciplinary hearing.

Figures, who was subpoenaed by the Alabama Bar Association, said she was here to "tell the truth, just like I did in the trial." During Thomas' criminal trial, Figures told jurors Thomas asked for permission to paddle her adult son, who was also a defendant in Thomas' coutroom. The Mobile County District Attorney's office says Figures' son was one of the men Thomas abused.

Figures said Monday she is "disappointed" that Thomas did not waive the confidentiality of the hearing. "I was hoping that it would be public. The public has a right to know what is going on," said Figures, who could not discuss her testimony.

Last month, Thomas announced he is challenging Figures for the District 33 Senate seat. He denies his candidacy has anything to do with her testimony during his trial.

12:00 p.m.
Disciplinary Commission is taking a break for lunch. The hearing will resume at 1:00. Herman Thomas, who left the courtroom with his wife, would not take questions from reporters.

10:00 a.m.
Former Circuit Court Judge Herman Thomas fights to get his law license back behind closed doors.

Thomas, who was cleared of sex abuse and assault charges in Mobile County Circuit Court, chose not to waive the confidentiality of his hearing with the Alabama State Bar's Disciplinary Commission.

"If you give us a flag we'll waive it. Other than that we aren't waiving nothing," said Bob Clark, Thomas attorney.

The hearing began Monday morning in the Ceremonial Courtroom at Government Plaza, which is the same courtroom used for jury selection during his criminal trail.

The former judge, who stepped down from the bench in October 2007 amidst allegations that he paddled and sexually abused defendants in his courtroom, announced last month his candidacy for Alabama Senate District 33. Thomas is challenging Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, whose son was one of the men prosecutors say Thomas abused.

Tony McLain, General Counsel for the Bar Association, says Thomas' acquittal in criminal court does not mean he will also be cleared in the Bar's hearing. During the criminal trial, prosecutors had to prove Thomas' guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt," but in the disciplinary hearing McLain only must provide "clear and convincing evidence."

Thomas' law license was suspended in 2009 following the first of two rounds of criminal indictments against him.