Latest news with #NewYorkStateCommissiononJudicialConduct
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
New York Judge Censured After Erupting During School Board Meeting, Demanding His Son Be Named Valedictorian
Long Beach City Court Judge Corey E. Klein was formally censured by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct The judge, who will maintain office through 2034, was accused of using his title amid a heated exchange during a school board meeting where he complained that his son was not named valedictorian Klein now has 30 days to appeal the decisionA New York judge was censured after erupting during a school board meeting. The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct confirmed via press release on Monday, June 9 that Long Beach City Court Judge Corey E. Klein had been censured for "invoking his judicial office in a personal matter involving his son." During a local school board meeting that streamed live on YouTube on April 11, 2024, Klein took the microphone after the session was opened up to the public for questions. He announced that he wanted "to discuss the implications of this board's policies as it relates to COVID and the selection of the valedictorian." The judge proceeded to say that his son was "not selected as a valedictorian because of this board's policies," adding that they "impact[ed] one person and one person only this year, my son." Klein said that his son was a straight-A student before he was cut off. "Don't try to out-lawyer me with the law," the judge said when the superintendent asked the school district attorney if this was the right place to have Klein's conversation, per a formal written complaint reviewed by the Commission on Judicial Conduct on Feb. 20, 2025. The judge's microphone was seemingly turned off as a member of the school board spoke. However, Klein could still be heard shouting in the background. 'If you are going to try to be a lawyer, then refer to me by my title as well, okay. Thank you," Klein said. 'You can refer to me, counsel, as judge,' he also said, according to the complaint, which also noted that Klein frequently used the terms "counsel" and "counselor" to address the attorney. At one point, Klein accused the board of "[trying] to sick your pit bull attorney on me." He also said, "I'm sorry that your attorney needed to go at me when all I wanted to do was come up here and politely address one simple question." He had the floor for nearly 20 minutes. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Amid his outburst, he was told that he "had the right to appeal" the decision about his son. However, this was not the place to do so. "Don't try to shut me down," Klein said, threatening to continue speaking "all night." At one point, the attorney noted that he was "respecting" Klein and asked for the same respect in return. He also addressed Klein's repeated use of legal terminology, saying, "Your Honor, we are not in court at this point." In the commission's press release, it was noted that Klein "agreed to the censure." The release also noted that all 11 members "concurred" with the determination that was made on May 29, 2025. He was also censured for using his office to help an "acquaintance" get out of a "traffic matter." Now that the determination has been filed, Klein has 30 days to make a formal appeal. According to the New York State Commission, the judge has held office at the Long Beach City Court since 2015. He will remain a judge until the end of 2034. 'It corrodes public confidence in the judiciary when a judge lends the prestige of judicial office to advance a private benefit," Commission Administrator Robert H. Tembeckjian said, per the release. Tembeckjian continued, by adding, "Doing so impulsively, in an unseemly public argument over who should be a high school's honoree, or as a favor to a parking ticket scofflaw, is especially irresponsible." According to the Center for Judicial Ethics of the National Center for State Courts, a censure "is a formal sanction for violating the Code of Judicial Conduct." While a judge who is censured "does not require suspension or removal," the formal matter is a "stern rebuke." PEOPLE reached out to the New York State Unified Court System for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bronx judge Jeffrey Zimmerman resigns after misconduct commission investigation for ‘discourteous behavior'
An outspoken Bronx judge has agreed to resign — and never return to the bench — following complaints that he criticized a jury's verdict and engaged in a 'pattern of discourteous behavior' including blasting a fellow judge, the Daily News has learned. Acting Supreme Court Judge Jeffrey Zimmerman in a Feb. 19 letter to Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas said he was stepping down effective April 3. In return, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct dropped the investigation. In agreeing to step down, Zimmerman stipulated that he would not try to return to the bench. The commission said there have been 148 such stipulations since the process was started in 2003. The last time a city judge agreed to a stipulation was in 2023, when a Family Court judge resigned while under investigation for long absences from work and a Surrogate Court judge resigned amid charges of misconduct. Zimmerman could not be reached for comment. But his lawyer, Deborah Scalise, noted that there were 'no findings of wrongdoing.' She also pointed out his 41 years of service as a federal and state prosecutor, criminal justice policy expert, private sector lawyer and his 'encore career' — seven years as a judge. According to the commission on Judicial Conduct, Zimmerman was accused of misconduct in January. Zimmerman at a criminal court arraignment 'interfered in the attorney-client relationship between a defendant and his attorney, repeatedly disparaged the defendant's attorney and appeared to prejudge the defendant's guilt.' Zimmerman was also accused of privately talking to the jury following a criminal trial 'and conveyed information to the jury that could be interpreted as implicitly criticizing its verdict,' according to documents posted by the commission. In two other cases, the commission said in the documents, Zimmerman 'disparaged a fellow judge who authored an opinion with which he disagreed.' In that instance, and at another time, Zimmerman 'failed to be patient, dignified and courteous to attorneys appearing before him.' Specifics about the cases were not released. The commission noted that Zimmerman, who has no prior disciplinary history, cooperated with its investigation 'and apologized for his conduct.' 'Judges are obliged to be patient, dignified and courteous with all whom they see in their professional capacity,' said Commissioner Administrator Robert Tembeckjian, 'and to afford all litigants and their lawyers the opportunity to be heard.' 'They must also refrain from praising or criticizing a jury for its verdict.' Zimmerman said in the letter that it has been 'an honor and a privilege to serve in this position.' Zimmerman had been a staunch critic of the 2020 bail reform laws. In a 2022 op-ed piece for The News, Zimmerman wrote that the public debate about bail reform 'has become completely divorced from the purpose of the statute.' 'If our elected officials believe that bail should be set only to ensure return to court — and if they believe New Yorkers are willing to accept that — they should then stop defining 'bail-eligible' offenses in terms of violence, absent any evidence that those accused of such crimes are less likely to return to court,' he added. 'And if they're not prepared to do this, then they should allow judges to consider the safety of the community when setting bail, as do most other jurisdictions.' In 2021, Zimmerman raised eyebrows when it came to light that he and a federal judge had required two defendants entering into plea deals to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Zimmerman had argued that while the defendant in his case, William Gregory — charged with drug possession, criminal trespass and shoplifting— had clearly acted out of self-interest and that the vaccine was for the societal good and indicative of Gregory's rehabilitation.
