Charges Against Presiding Judge Dismissed

The New York Commission on Judicial Conduct dismissed four allegations against the presiding judge of the Appellate Division for the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department.

According to this press release, the Commission dismissed charges that the judge made false attestations on mortgage documents, improperly permitted his executive assistant to privately practice law and arranged or permitted a "no show" job at his court for a former member of the New York City Council.

As to charges of nepotism or favoritism in hiring his ex-wife as a court employee and "the hiring of others such as his secretary's brother, his executive assistant's nephew and his driver's son, the commission found that his hiring practices "both before and during" his tenure "raise serious questions." The charge was dismissed with recommendations to make hiring in the court more uniform, transparent and free from favoritism.

The commission report is linked here. (Mike Frisch)