A Columbus attorney got a stern lecture Wednesday about punctuality and professionalism when appearing in criminal court.

Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Frank McCown told Sterling Gill that he &#8220should not be late again” when he had an appointment with him. Gill has been late for apearance in court numerous times recently, often showing up hours late and missing appointments to represent his clients.

Gill was scheduled to appear in Common Pleas Court Wednesday for two pretrial conferences, one before fellow Common Pleas Judge Richard Walton at 1 p.m. and one before McCown at 1:30. It was 4:10 p.m. before Gill arrived in Ironton, leaving two clients, Brock Smith and Cynthia Cranston, to wait.

Both cases had to be continued another week since Gill was so late in arriving. Cranston is facing drug charges, Smith is facing retrial on an armed robbery charge in connection with a pizza store hold up last year.

&#8220There have been five previous delays,” McCown reminded him. &#8220I don't know of you ever being on time. …In all fairness , if you are going to represent people in Lawrence County you should be here when matters are set.”

Gill told McCown he had left the Franklin County Courthouse at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday and after stopping by his office to pick up a report from Shawnee Forensics in regard to Smith's case,

had left immediately for Lawrence County. During a telephone conversation just after 3p.m., he hadtold McCown he was on his way.

&#8220I apologize to the court. The delay was unintentional,” Gill said.

But McCown didn't buy the excuse about Gill having to wait on the Shawnee Forensics report. He said there was no reason why Gill did not get the report until this week since it had been sent by certified to his Columbus office Oct. 12. He also told him he should reconsider the wisdom of taking cases in Lawrence County if

the distance between Franklin and Lawrence counties created scheduling problems and prevented him from adequately representing his clients.

McCown told Gill that if his trend of showing up hours late continued, he ran the risk of being found in contempt of court.

&#8220This is the end of this,” McCown said.