A new lawyer has been chosen to lead an inquiry into a Manitoba judge's nude Internet photos.

Suzanne Cote, a litigation specialist from Montreal, has been appointed as independent counsel for the inquiry into Justice Lori Douglas.

Cote replaces Guy Pratte, who resigned last month after complaining about the way the inquiry was proceeding.

The Canadian Judicial Council is examining whether Douglas should be removed from the bench for explicit photos that her husband put on the Internet and because of an allegation that she sexually harassed a man named Alex Chapman.

Pratte resigned because the panel hearing the case has its own lawyer cross-examining witnesses — a situation he says compromises the appearance of fairness.

The inquiry has been suspended because Douglas's lawyer has made a similar complaint to the Federal Court of Canada and has asked it to quash the inquiry.

There is no word yet on when that argument will be heard or when the inquiry might resume.