Judge Kathy Wachtman of Huron, NY; ethical goblin

The Judicial Commission found Roger guilty of the following misconduct.

• Made a number of errors during a hearing that gave the appearance that she was biased against the defendant
• Despite her knowledge that the defendant was represented by counsel, she failed to inform the defendant at the outset of the proceeding that the lawyer was unavailable and that she had denied his request for an adjournment
• Failed to advise the defendant that he had a right to counsel at the proceeding and to an adjournment to obtain counsel
• Failed to inform the defendant had a right to cross-examine the prosecution witness and to testify on his own behalf
• Announced probable cause finding immediately after the prosecution witnesses had testified, without affording the defendant an opportunity to question them [due process]
• After she deprived the defendant of constitutional and statutory rights, he remained in custody for almost two months before pleading guilty to a reduced charge, at which time Kathy sentenced him to time serve

Apparently, Judge Wachtman is of the opinion that “due process” is the means by which the grass becomes moist in the am.

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

As we speak (ca. April 2019), Kathy continues to sit as a Justice of the Huron Town Court (Wayne County) in Huron, New York.