WAIVERS OF CONFIDENTIALITY

Pursuant to Judiciary Law Sections 44(4) and 45, all Commission proceedings are confidential, unless the subject judge waives confidentiality or the Commission issues a determination that the judge should be admonished, censured, removed or retired from office.

Since 1978, when the current law went into effect, 13 judges have waived confidentiality at some stage of the Commission's proceedings.

HEARINGS

Year

Judge

Disposition

1980

Norman H. Shilling

Censured

1982

James J. Leff

Censured

1982

J. Richard Sardino

Removed

1983

Alan I. Friess

Removed

1984

William G. Mayville

Removed

1988

Bruce McM. Wright

Censured

1996

B. Marc Mogil

Removed

1997

Lorin M. Duckman (oral argument only)

Removed

2004

Henry R. Bauer

Removed

2007

Marian R. Shelton

Retired

2008

Duane A. Hart (oral argument only)

Censured

2012

Lee L. Holzman

Censured

 

INVESTIGATIONS

Year

Judge

Disposition

2006

Michael R. Ambrecht

Censured

2006

William A. Wetzel

Retired

 

PUBLIC LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST THE COMMISSION

When a judge commences a lawsuit against the Commission, typically pursuant to Article 78 of the CPLR in order to stay the Commission from pursuing a disciplinary complaint aganst the judge, such proceedings are public. On occasion, the court rulings in such cases address significant procedural issues.