NCJ Number
179603
Date Published
1999
Length
166 pages
Annotation
This report discusses the activities of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct for 1998, and includes information on the complaints received, investigations, formal proceedings, dispositions, and other activities.
Abstract
The Commission is the disciplinary agency designated by the State Constitution to review complaints of misconduct against any of the approximately 3,300 judges of the State Unified Court System. The number of complaints received has steadily increased over its 24 years of operation. The Commission has received an average of 1,436 complaints per year over the last 7 years. The Commission received 1,451 new complaints in 1998, dismissed 1,236 upon initial review, authorized and began 215 investigations, and had 117 investigations and 27 proceedings on formal charges pending from the prior year. The majority of complaints came from civil litigants and defendants in criminal cases. The Commission cautioned 28 judges after investigation, authorized 14 formal written complaints, cautioned 1 judge after a formal complaint, publicly disciplined 16 judges, and dismissed or closed 5 formal complaints. The Commission's 22 formal disciplinary determinations included 3 removals, 7 censures, and 12 admonitions. Thirteen of the 22 judges disciplined were non-lawyer judges; 9 were lawyer-judges. Sixteen were part-time town or village justices; six were justices of higher courts. Figures, tables, and case summaries