The attorney for Bridget McCafferty asked a federal judge in Akron on Thursday to dismiss the charge of making a false statement to the FBI.

McCafferty was defeated for re-election as a Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge in November.

She's charged with lying to FBI agents about alleged political meddling in her court. She was indicted along with a county commissioner but will be tried separately Feb. 22.

The Plain Dealer newspaper of Cleveland says the trial judge will rule later on the dismissal motion.

The Associated Press