On Friday, March 1, 2024, the New Pittsburgh Courier reported that New York Judge Lisa Sokoloff, who is overseeing talk show host Wendy Williams’ guardianship case, had previously been under investigation herself.
The article notes that in January 2023, news station WABC detailed a six-month probe into Manhattan Family Court Judge Sokoloff over campaign donations she had received from attorneys, law firms, and other parties involved in guardianship cases. The news outlet discovered that between 2019 and 2022, Sokoloff assigned guardianships to people and organizations that had contributed to her Supreme Court campaign fund. Public records show that in 2022 alone, the judge collected $5,720 in campaign contributions and approved 62 guardianship appointments.
While Wendy Williams’ current guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, did not donate to Sokoloff’s campaign, the judge did grant several guardianship appointments to Morrissey in 2022. Sokoloff also removed power of attorney from Williams’ son, Kevin Hunter Jr., who claims he always got his mother’s permission before accessing her money. Hunter Jr. further alleges that Morrissey threatened to have him arrested and did not disclose what facility Williams was receiving treatment.
Williams was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia in 2023, according to her team. Sokoloff approved the airing of Williams’ documentary about her condition over the objections of Morrissey, who had filed a lawsuit to block it.
The report raises questions about Judge Sokoloff’s impartiality given her previous acceptance of donations from parties that later received rulings in their favor.
Source: New Pittsburgh Courier
