On Friday, March 8, 2024, the New Jersey Globe reported that Clark Municipal Court Judge Antonio Inacio is facing numerous ethics complaints from the New Jersey Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct regarding his behavior on the bench.
According to the article, Judge Inacio has served as the part-time municipal judge in Clark, New Jersey since 1994. However, the complaints allege that he represented several local police officers and code enforcement officers in his private law practice on personnel matters, while also ruling on over 130 tickets issued by those same police officers. This creates a conflict of interest and raises doubts about his ability to remain impartial in cases involving these individuals.
Furthermore, Judge Inacio is accused of having an especially close personal friendship with one code enforcement officer, referring to him as his “drinking buddy.” Yet he still presided over cases involving summonses from that officer. The complaints charge that these prior professional affiliations and personal relationships seriously undermine public confidence in his fairness and independence.
In addition, transcripts from one particular case show an exchange where Judge Inacio inappropriately questioned an unemployed defendant about his relationship status and living situation in a mocking tone. Such gratuitous personal questioning of a defendant impugns the integrity of the judiciary.
Moreover, the complaints state that on one occasion, Judge Inacio signed a court order in a family law matter without the client’s authorization and falsely witnessed the signature. He later admitted guilt about failing to properly report this ethical lapse in a 2023 lawsuit.
Finally, the article notes Judge Inacio sometimes translates for Spanish-speaking individuals appearing before him, despite directives prohibiting judges from translating to avoid both bias and the appearance of bias. If found guilty of these complaints, Judge Inacio could face severe sanctions or removal from the bench.
Source: New Jersey Globe
