Monika Kozak

July 10, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A judge may preside over Article 75 proceedings challenging employment arbitration awards, where the state agency employer was previously represented in-house by the judge's law clerk's spouse, but the judge must insulate the law clerk and make appropriate disclosures.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read

July 09, 2024 | New York Law Journal

Once a judge and their spouse jointly hire a law firm to mediate their divorce negotiations, the judge is disqualified, subject to remittal, in all matters where the law firm appears. This obligation lasts while the mediation relationship is ongoing and for two years after the mediation relationship completely ends and all fees are paid.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

July 08, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A new full-time judge may retain the lease of the office previously used for the judge's solo legal practice, where the lease is in the name of the judge and not the law firm under which the judge was doing business.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

July 07, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A judge who presides in civil matters may participate in a university-sponsored educational program at a correctional facility in another region of the state.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

July 04, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A judge may wear a rainbow pin or flag on the judge's personal clothing, and display like pins, flags or signs in the judge's chambers.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read

July 02, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A part-time judge may "ghostwrite" a not-for-profit organization's fund-raising letters and grant applications that will be signed, submitted and circulated by others without crediting the judge, provided the judge does not personally solicit funds, does not permit the use of the prestige of judicial office for fund-raising, and does not permit his/her name to appear as the author or signatory on any fund-raising solicitations or grant applications.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read

July 01, 2024 | New York Law Journal

May a full-time support magistrate in one county serve as a volunteer arbitrator in the small claims part of a different court in another county?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

June 30, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A town justice may preside in Vehicle and Traffic Law matters even if the judge believes the issuing law enforcement agency may follow a policy of enforcing traffic laws only against non-residents, provided the judge can be fair and impartial on a case-by-case basis.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

June 27, 2024 | New York Law Journal

(1) A judge must not personally participate in soliciting funds for a not-for-profit civic or charitable organization and therefore must not: (a) send out solicitation letters for the organization; (b) post announcements about the organization's fund-raising activities or initiatives on social media.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

11 minute read

June 26, 2024 | New York Law Journal

Where a full-time judge's former law firm advises the judge that a former client recently posted an online review of the judge's legal services, the judge must request that the law firm remove the judge's name from such review but need not take any further action.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read