On Tuesday, February 4, 2025, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced that Richard T. Snyder, a Justice of the Petersburgh Town Court in Rensselaer County, resigned from his position after being charged with misconduct for evading jury duty. Snyder claimed he could not be impartial while serving as a juror, which led to the formal complaint against him.
The Commission reported that in October 2023, Snyder attempted to avoid Grand Jury duty by introducing himself as a town justice and asserting that he believed anyone appearing before him is guilty, thereby rendering him unable to serve impartially. During his testimony at the Commission, Snyder reiterated his belief that all litigants who came before him “did something wrong,” stating, “I know they’re guilty because they did something wrong.” This admission raised serious concerns regarding his understanding of judicial impartiality.
Snyder’s resignation was formalized in a stipulation executed on December 30, 2024, and accepted by the Commission on January 30, 2025. His resignation became effective on December 31, 2024. The Commission made the stipulation public after Snyder waived his right to confidentiality regarding the proceedings.
Having served as a Justice of the Petersburgh Town Court since 2014, Snyder’s current term was set to expire on December 31, 2025. He is not an attorney and represented himself during the proceedings before the Commission.
In response to Snyder’s actions, Commission Administrator Robert H. Tembeckjian expressed his disapproval, highlighting the importance of jury duty as a civic responsibility. He stated that it was concerning for a judge to seek to evade such duties and claimed an inability to remain impartial, indicating a significant misunderstanding of the role of a judge.
