Judge Approved Law Clerk Payments; Resigns

 The New York Commission on Judicial Conduct entered into a stipulation accepting the resignation of an elected Supreme Court Justice who had improperly approved guardianship payments to her “confidential law clerk” that were pending before other judges of the court.

the Commission, on its own motion, authorized a second investigation based on a report of the Inspector General for the Unified Court System, alleging inter alia that Judge Lewis failed to adequately oversee and review Ms. Detherage’s work as a guardian, and improperly continued to preside over three of Ms. Detherage‘s matters and approved a guardianship payment to her after hiring her as her full-time law clerk.

The investigation was initiated based on news reports concerning the judge’s conduct.

The decision and order are linked here.

The New York Times covered the story. (Mike Frisch)