A New Jersey appeals court has ruled that former Newark Mayor and state Sen. Sharpe James is not entitled to a year of service credit in his retirement plan with Essex County College, where he worked for a year after his term as mayor ended, because of his fraud conviction.

A three-judge Appellate Division panel said in an unpublished opinion Tuesday that James’ conduct while in office, though it did not involve his work with the college, was of such a nature that he should not receive credit for a year he spent as a senior fellow and a department director at the college.