FORMER HAWKINS COUNTY GENERAL SESSIONS JUDGE JAMES "JAY" TAYLOR HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN NASHVILLE TO 41 COUNTS OF THEFT OF PROPERTY. BOND FOR THE 41-YEAR-OLD TAYLOR WAS REDUCED TO $100,000 FROM $175,000 BY CRIMINAL COURT JUDGE CHERYL BLACKBURN. HE REMAINED IN JAIL WEDNESDAY AFTER THE HEARING. HE IS ACCUSED OF FILING NUMEROUS FALSE CLAIMS WITH THE NASHVILLE-BASED ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS REQUESTING PAYMENT FOR SERVICES AS LEGAL COUNSEL IN CASES WHERE HE DID NOT PERFORM LEGAL WORK. TAYLOR IS BOTH AN ATTORNEY AND FORMER GENERAL SESSIONS AND JUVENILE JUDGE. INVESTIGATORS SAID THE FALSE CLAIMS WERE SUBMITTED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2010 AND JULY 2011. MOST OF THE AMOUNTS WERE BETWEEN $500 AND $1,000. TAYLOR FACES 12 SIMILAR CHARGES IN HAWKINS COUNTY. HE RESIGNED AS JUDGE IN APRIL. (BG)