Denied But Resigned

A town court justice’s resignation while under investigation has been accepted by the New York Commission on Judicial Conduct per this press release

In March 2024, the Commission apprised Judge Byrne that it was investigating four complaints that, among other things, alleged that she:
• Dismissed traffic tickets issued to some of her relatives;
• Retaliated against a former court clerk for cooperating with the Commission’s investigation; and
• Inappropriately criticized the local dog control officer regarding a pending case, and intervened in a matter involving the officer’s spouse despite being disqualified from the matter.

Judge Byrne, who denied the allegations, resigned from office on July 29, 2024, and agreed never to seek or accept judicial office at any time in the future. The Commission accepted a stipulation to that effect signed by the judge and the Commission’s Administrator.

The judge

Judge Byrne, who is an attorney, had been a Justice of the New Lebanon Town Court since 2010. Her current term would have expired on December 31, 2025.