Judge Joan M. Kline of Oxford, NY; Dumbo, serial scofflaw

Mary’s misconduct occurred while she was serving as a Judge of the Binghamton City Court in Broome County, which led the Judicial Commission to find her guilty of the following misconduct.

The Judicial Commission found Joanie guilty of the following misconduct.

• Coerced at least two defendants to plead guilty re: traffic violations
• Improperly advised defendant in traffic case he could not plead not guilty
• Failed to avoid appearance of impropriety
• Failed to comply with and respect the law
• Failed to act with due diligence (slacker)
• Failed to act impartially
• Failed to perform duties competently (Dumbo)
• Engaged in illegal ex parte (one-sided) communications
• Prematurely destroyed and/or failed to maintain court records
• Failed to advise defendant of constitutional right to counsel
• Failed to inquire if defendant waived right to counsel
• Failed to accord every person who has a legal interest in a court proceeding or that person’s lawyer the right to be heard according to the law

As a direct consequence of her misconduct, the apologists for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Judicial Commission punished Joanie by gifting her with a complimentary censure.

As we speak (ca. February 2016) Joanie continues to sit as a Justice of the Guilford Town Court, the Oxford Town Court and the Oxford Village Court (Chenango County) in Oxford, New York.