ATLANTA (Bloomberg) - A former attorney for Richard Scruggs, the Mississippi trial lawyer who won an $80 million insurance settlement for Hurricane Katrina victims, pleaded not guilty to the attempted bribery of a judge.

Timothy Balducci, an attorney from New Albany, Mississippi, appeared yesterday without a lawyer in federal court in Aberdeen, Mississippi. He is accused of delivering $40,000 in cash to state Judge Henry Lackey on behalf of Scruggs to get a favorable ruling in a lawsuit over $26.5 million in legal fees.

Mr. Balducci was indicted with Mr. Scruggs; his son and colleague Zach Scruggs; Sidney Backstrom, a law partner of Mr. Scruggs; and Steve Patterson, Balducci's business partner and a former state auditor. The others pleaded not guilty on November 29.

Mr. Balducci did not return a call for comment. He is free on his own recognisance, charged with conspiracy to commit bribery.

Mr. Scruggs's attorney Joey Langston did not return a call for comment.