On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced that Binghamton City Court Judge Daniel L. Seiden agreed to be censured for his role in creating a hostile work environment. This decision follows an investigation into Judge Seiden’s behavior, which began in 2023 when he expressed objections to a transition from a manual case-tracking system to a web-based system.
The Commission found that Judge Seiden engaged in disparaging remarks about his fellow judges and questioned the motivations of his administrative judge. He also criticized the chief court clerk for staff turnover and undermined the competence of remaining court clerks, suggesting they should “stay out of [his] shorts.” Despite the changes implemented in the court’s operations, Judge Seiden indicated he would continue to use the old case-tracking system.
Following these actions, Judge Seiden was reassigned to the Cortland City Court, where he continued to send negative emails to senior court officials. In one instance, he referred to their “breathtaking” arrogance and accused them of being “intoxicated by power and privilege.”
In accepting the censure, Judge Seiden acknowledged that his conduct was inappropriate. He also completed programs provided by the Office of Court Administration aimed at improving workplace communication. The Commission noted this acceptance of responsibility in its announcement.
Commission Administrator Robert H. Tembeckjian emphasized the importance of judges maintaining a professional demeanor, stating that judges must be patient and courteous while cooperating with their colleagues in court administration. He criticized Judge Seiden’s confrontational behavior as unproductive and detrimental to the judicial process.
Judge Seiden has served as a judge in the Binghamton City Court since 2008. His current term is set to expire on December 31, 2034, but he is required to retire by December 31, 2028, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
A copy of the news release can be found here.
