My guess is that JB HAS asked the judge to be withdrawn as counsel and the judge said, "No way, Jose." This is not going to be easy to find another attorney to pick up. If you just "decide" you don't want to represent a client anymore, it's not going to fly. I think the judge said, "no" and JB decided to give the court a REASON to take him off the case. He may get some no big deal sanction by the Bar Assoc. but that's all in a day's work for criminal defense attys. Getting sued for all you're worth or disbarred is not a good ending for JB. And you KNOW how those Anthonys are...