Petersburgh Justice Quits Amid Impartiality Concerns

Richard Snyder, a justice of the Petersburgh Town Court in New York, has resigned after admitting he believed all defendants before him were guilty, leading to his inability to be impartial. This admission came to light when Snyder attempted to evade grand jury duty in October 2023, claiming that everyone who appeared in court had done something wrong. The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct charged him with misconduct, resulting in his resignation and an agreement not to seek judicial office again. Snyder, who is not an attorney, had served since 2014. His resignation is part of 146 similar cases handled by the commission since 2003. The commission's administrator emphasized the importance of impartiality, noting that Snyder's beliefs were incompatible with judicial duties.