Risk Update

Judicial Ethics & Conflicts News — Former Law Firm Financial Relationship, Child Endangerment Relationships, New York Judge Steps Down

Posted Dan Bressler


“Judicial Ethics Opinion 25-130” —

  • “A judge who receives an insurance reserve balance payment from the judge’s former law firm is disqualified for two years from all cases involving the firm. The two-year period commences from the date of payment. The disqualification is subject to remittal.”

“Judicial Ethics Opinion 25-131” —

  • “A judge need not disqualify from a case involving child endangerment charges merely because (a) the judge’s child knows the subject child, (b) the judge’s close friend is engaged to a witness in the case, and (c) the judge recently disqualified him/herself in a different case on other grounds.”

“NY judge took vacations with lawyers, was in text thread filled with ‘off-color jokes,’ ‘sexually graphic images’: officials” —

  • “A New York judge took Caribbean vacations with a group of attorneys and engaged in a text message chain featuring ‘off-color jokes’ and ‘sexually graphic images’ with them — helping fuel her hasty retirement, court officials said.”
  • “Rockland County Supreme Court Justice Sherri Eisenpress agreed to step down on April 28 over multiple alleged conflicts of interest, the state Commission of Judicial Conduct said Monday.”
  • “The CJC said Eisenpress failed to disclose her close personal relationships with the group of attorneys, even as she heard their cases in her courtroom, violating laws that judges must be impartial.”
  • “The half dozen lawyers argued in front of Eisenpress between 2019 and 2024 — when they all also traveled to the Dominican Republic, Mexico and the Jersey Shore together at various times, according to the commission.”
    he women were also on a text chain at various times titled ‘Punta Cana Partiers,’ Bougie B*tches’ and ‘Queen Dara and Her Loyal Subjects,’ in reference to the court’s principal attorney, who conducts research, analysis and drafts opinion for judges.”
  • “‘[Eisenpress] and the members of the group text message chain … shared confidences and discussed and shared social and travel plans and invitations, gossip, photos, off-color jokes, and sexually graphic images,’ the CJC wrote, outlining its misconduct allegations.”
  • “The alleged conflicts didn’t stop there for Eisenpress, who went from family court to state Supreme Court justice during her 15 years on the bench.”
  • “Eisenpress was accused of presiding over 41 cases involving the law firm of her principal law clerk’s spouse, while declining to acknowledge the ties or to limit the top aide’s work on those cases, the commission said.”
  • “She also handled a matrimonial case in which the lawyer for one of the spouses was co-hosting a fundraiser for Eisenpress’ election campaign — and only recused herself after the opposing counsel called her out, according to the commission.”
  • “In 2024, Eisenpress allegedly refused to immediately recuse herself from a case in which her law clerk’s husband represented one of the parties, the CJC said. She later stepped aside for unrelated reasons.”
  • “Eisenpress lauded her time on the bench in her resignation letter to Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas on Jan. 29.”
  • “‘During my tenure, I was mindful of the responsibility that comes with expanding access to justice and strengthening public trust in the court,’ she said.”