On Tuesday, February 10, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct censured Mount Vernon City Court Judge Nichelle A. Johnson for multiple acts of misconduct. The Commission’s determination, dated December 30, 2025, was reached with the concurrence of all 11 members.
The Commission found that Judge Johnson engaged in improper ex parte communications, misused the prestige of her judicial office to benefit acquaintances, and exhibited poor demeanor. Judge Johnson has agreed to the censure.
The misconduct included using her judicial office to advance private interests. In two instances, Judge Johnson used her position to assist her neighbor in dismissing a traffic ticket and intervened in a case involving an acquaintance’s contracting company.
Additionally, she engaged in improper ex parte communications in three separate cases, such as contacting an unrepresented litigant during an eviction proceeding and providing guidance about the return of a vehicle to a court officer standing with the defendant whose car had been impounded, and then failing to disclose the communication during a later court proceeding.
The Commission also cited instances of poor demeanor and the appearance of bias, where Judge Johnson displayed impatience and hostility toward prosecutors and used inflammatory language.
In accepting the sanction, the Commission noted that Judge Johnson has pledged to take extra care to abide by her ethical obligations and has completed five relevant education programs. Judge Johnson has served on the Mount Vernon City Court since April 2016, and her current term is set to expire on December 31, 2026.
Commission Administrator Robert H. Tembeckjian stated that “Leveraging judicial office for the benefit of friends leads to a dual system of justice – one for the well-connected, and one for everyone else.” He also noted Judge Johnson’s acceptance of responsibility and her efforts to improve through remedial courses.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
