CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – In a written response to a disciplinary committee, Judge Patricia Coffey has denied sleeping while on the bench in her Seacoast courtroom.

Coffey cited trial transcripts and a lack of complaints during court sessions in making a “general denial of the allegations (of) nodding off or being inattentive,” said Anthony McManus, executive secretary of the Judicial Conduct Committee.

After a trial last year, two jurors reported seeing Coffee doze off in court.

A subcommittee is scheduled to take up the case on Feb. 17.

Last year, Melissa Spinner of Dover made public a poll of jurors who convicted her husband of sexual assault in June 2005. Two of the seven jurors polled by the public defender’s office said they had seen Coffey doze off during the Superior Court trial.

McManus would not release Coffey’s statement without a vote of the committee, but said she cited trial transcripts to show the number of times she was called upon to respond in court and did so. She also said nothing in the trial record indicated any pauses or delays because she had nodded off.

Spinner’s allegations prompted others to come forward with similar allegations. Jeffrey Carano of Epping wrote a letter to the Rockingham News complaining about Coffey in 2001.

“Judge Coffey could not keep her eyes open,” Carano said in the letter, published June 1, 2001. “She was out cold.”

Teri Eldredge of Exeter said she was in court to support a friend when she saw Coffey fall asleep.

“Her eyes were closed and her head was down,” Eldredge said. “She had fallen asleep for at least five minutes, anyway.”

Through Laura Kiernan, communications director for the state judicial branch, Coffey declined to comment Wednesday.

She is a member of the disciplinary committee, so specially appointed substitutes will consider her case.

AP-ES-02-09-06 2240EST