On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, the New Jersey Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct announced that the formal hearing regarding Municipal Judge Britt J. Simon has been rescheduled and will continue on Wednesday, March 25, at 10:30 a.m. The hearing will take place in the Supreme Court courtroom at the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton. The hearing will be accessible to the public via the Judiciary’s public channels page under “Administrative Office of the Courts.”

This rescheduling follows allegations that Judge Simon made inappropriate comments during truancy cases in Somerset County. Simon, who served as a municipal judge for Bound Brook, Bridgewater, Somerville, and Raritan Borough, has been suspended from his judicial duties since February 11, 2025.

The complaint against Simon alleges that he used aggressive and discriminatory language during truancy hearings. Specifically, he is accused of threatening to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding undocumented families. The complaint further states that Simon allegedly referred to students as “garbage” and “filth of the earth.” In one instance, he reportedly warned a 14-year-old student that continued truancy could lead to ICE detaining them or their parents, allegedly stating, “You miss another day of school and I’m going to personally have ICE here to pick you up.”

In response to these allegations, Simon acknowledged raising his voice and using what he described as “empty threats” during hearings. He explained that his approach was an attempt to motivate chronically absent students to attend school regularly. In an email to Presiding Judge Gerard Shamey, included in the filing, Simon wrote, “I have tried speaking to the kids, then yelling, then empty threats. Nothing works.” He emphasized that his intention was to encourage attendance, not to intimidate families.

Simon’s legal team has argued that his remarks were a strategic effort to steer students back to education without resorting to punitive measures like fines, which he avoided issuing to low-income families. He stated, “I am not going to fine a non-English speaking single mother that works two full-time jobs. Our fine means that family doesn’t eat that night.” Simon also claimed he received no formal training on handling truancy cases and had sought guidance from Shamey, who allegedly did not provide assistance. He disputed claims that he was counseled about his conduct, citing phone records and emails as evidence that no such discussions took place.

The complaint alleges that Simon violated several judicial conduct canons, including failing to uphold the law, exhibiting bias, and using inappropriate language. Simon has denied the charges and requested the complaint’s dismissal, asserting that his actions were driven by compassion and a desire to address truancy effectively. His filing described his approach as a “last-ditch effort” to connect with students emotionally and prevent further absenteeism, denying any intent to exceed his judicial authority.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.