The legal community in New York is reacting to the abrupt resignation of Peekskill City Court Judge Reginald J. Johnson amid a state probe into allegations of sexual misconduct and judicial favoritism. The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced that Johnson resigned on August 29 and has agreed never to seek judicial office again. The investigation revealed accusations of unwelcome sexual advances, mistreatment of court personnel, and dismissal of traffic tickets for friends and their relatives. According to Robert H. Tembeckjian, counsel for the Commission on Judicial Conduct, “The harmony and decorum of the courthouse is undermined whenever a judge mistreats colleagues, attorneys, and court staff. One who repeatedly does all of this and more does not belong on the bench.”
More details about the investigation and Johnson’s resignation can be found in the New York Law Journal.