On Friday, August 22, 2025, the New York Post reported that Acting Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Jeffrey Gershuny has been demoted, had his salary reduced, and is now prohibited from bringing a firearm into the courtroom, following an incident where he flashed a gun during a hearing.

According to sources, Gershuny, who gained attention for pulling out his handgun in court on August 5, will now only preside over misdemeanor cases in criminal court, a significant shift from his previous role handling felony cases in the Supreme Court.

The demotion comes with a salary reduction of approximately $16,000, or about 7%, as the annual pay for Supreme Court justices is $232,600, while that of criminal court judges is $216,400, according to sources. The Office of Court Administration, which oversees New York’s judiciary, declined to comment on Gershuny’s demotion, salary adjustment, or the issue involving his firearm.

Gershuny, a Hofstra University graduate and former attorney appointed to the bench in 2018, has faced scrutiny beyond the gun incident. On July 15, he granted youthful offender status to a 19-year-old alleged gang member charged with attempted murder and felony gun possession, a decision that drew significant attention.

Additionally, at least one complaint has been filed against him with the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, which oversees judicial discipline. An NYPD officer alleged in the complaint that Gershuny displayed bias against police, pointing to instances where the judge dismissed weapons as evidence in felony gun cases. The timing and outcome of this complaint remain undisclosed.

The gun-flashing incident occurred when Gershuny, aiming to challenge a police officer’s testimony about detecting a concealed weapon, drew his own handgun during the August 5 hearing for a courtroom demonstration. The Office of Court Administration previously stated it was reviewing the incident, supported by an official transcript, but offered no further comment on Gershuny’s rulings in the attempted murder and gun case.

A spokesperson for the state Commission on Judicial Conduct noted that the agency does not confirm or deny investigations into specific judges and only comments publicly when a formal determination of misconduct is made. The commission’s records show no prior disciplinary actions against Gershuny.

One law enforcement source expressed relief at Gershuny’s reassignment to misdemeanor cases, stating, “There’s a lot of happy people in Brooklyn right now,” adding that the judge was not well-regarded among some in the community.

 

 

Source: New York Post