On Wednesday, October 18, 2023, Auburnpub reported that longtime Moravia town and village judge, June Shepardson, has resigned following an investigation by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct into missing funds. June Shepardson had served as a judge since 2001, but was suspended in July 2023 and later resigned on August 31.
According to the report, citing a letter released by the commission, Shepardson allegedly converted over $6,000 in court funds from the town and village of Moravia. The exact details of the missing funds and what Shepardson did with the money have not been disclosed.
Shepardson agreed to resign and not seek judicial office in the future. If she does, the commission can resume the investigation into the complaint. Shepardson’s resignation is effective immediately, and her cases have been reassigned to other judges.
Shepardson was active in organizations for town and village justices. She served as a former president of the Cayuga County Magistrates Association and was a director of the state Magistrates Association.
This is not the first time a Cayuga County town judge has resigned amid a state investigation. In 2021, Mark DiVietro resigned as an Owasco town justice after being accused of having unauthorized communications during a 2019 case. Last year, Phillip Franklin resigned as a Locke town justice after an investigation into failing to account for court funds.
Source: Auburnpub
