NCJ Number
48352
Date Published
1977
Length
25 pages
Annotation
AN INVESTIGATION BY THE NEW YORK STATE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT INTO TICKET-FIXING PRACTICES BY JUDGES IS OUTLINED.
Abstract
THE COMMISSION'S INVESTIGATION, WHICH INITIALLY INVOLVED ONE JUDGE WHO HAD ALLEGEDLY GRANTED FAVORABLE TREATMENT TO DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, EXTENDED TO 38 COUNTIES AND IMPLICATED 250 JUDGES, PRIMARILY TOWN AND VILLAGE JUSTICES. THE COMMISSION'S EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THESE JUDGES HAVE EITHER MADE REQUESTS OF OTHER JUDGES FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION, GRANTED SUCH REQUEST, OR DONE BOTH. SOME HAVE GRANTED FAVORS REPEATEDLY; ONE JUDGE ACKNOWLEDGED OVER 500 FAVORS. THE COMMISSION HAS COPIES OF OVER 700 LETTERS REQUESTING THE DISMISSAL OR REDUCTION OF TRAFFIC-RELATED OFFENSES AS FAVORS FOR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. IN SOME CASES, COURT RECORDS SHOW THE ORIGINAL CHARGE, THE REDUCED CHARGE, AND THE NAME OF THE PARTY REQUESTING A FAVOR. THE INTERIM REPORT SUMMARIZES THE COMMISSION'S FINDINGS, DESCRIBES TICKET-FIXING PRACTICES (REDUCTION OF CHARGES, OTHER FAVORS, BAIL FORFEITURES, ALTERATION OF SUMMONSES), AND CONSIDERS THE ILLEGALITY OF TICKET FIXING. JUDGES' TESTIMONY BEFORE THE COMMISSION IS DISCUSSED, THE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF TICKET FIXING ARE POINTED OUT, AND PROSPECTS FOR REFORM ARE ASSESSED. THE COMMISSION'S INTENTION TO TAKE APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY STEPS AGAINST JUDGES FOUND TO HAVE ENGAGED IN TICKET FIXING IS NOTED.