On Monday, March 2, 2026, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct released its annual report, detailing its activities throughout 2025. The commission, an independent agency established in 1978, evaluates and investigates complaints of misconduct against judges within the state’s unified court system.

In 2025, the commission received 3,363 complaints, mirroring the 3,353 complaints received the previous year. The commission concluded 25 public decisions, slightly more than the 24 issued in 2024. These findings are detailed in the 2026 Annual Report, available on the commission’s website.

The report highlighted that 582 preliminary inquiries were conducted. Additionally, 330 full-fledged investigations were undertaken, comprising 141 new cases and 189 carried over from 2024. A significant number of judges, 28 in total, resigned while under investigation. Of these, 15 publicly resigned and committed to never returning to a judicial office, while 13 resigned before a determination on permanent departure could be made. The commission noted that investigations would resume if any such judge sought to return to the bench. Furthermore, 7 judges were publicly censured, 3 were publicly admonished, and 31 received confidential cautionary letters. At the close of the year, 190 matters remained pending.

Through 2025, the commission has rendered public decisions against 994 judges, including 185 who were removed from office and 159 who resigned and publicly agreed never to return to the bench.

The 2026 Annual Report also addresses recurring types of misconduct, such as alcohol-related offenses, failure to cooperate with Commission inquiries, undue delays in performing judicial duties, late or inaccurate financial disclosure filings, misuse of judicial office for personal advantage, and prohibited political activity.

Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget proposal for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2026, includes the Commission’s requested $9,330,000.

Commission Chair Joseph W. Belluck stated, “Faith in the courts is essential to the administration of justice…by disciplining those judges who have engaged in misconduct, while exonerating those who have been wrongly accused.”