New York State Judicial Conduct Commission Releases Annual Report of Activity

In the 2022 Annual Report of its activities for 2021, released March 3, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct reported the following:

• 1,938 new complaints were received and processed.
• 375 preliminary inquiries were conducted.
• 302 full-fledged investigations were undertaken: 125 new ones and 177 carried forward from 2020.
• 13 judges resigned and publicly agreed never to return to judicial office.
• 10 other judges resigned while complaints were pending, where it had not been determined permanent departure from office was warranted or appropriate.
• 4 judges were publicly censured or admonished.
• 20 judges were issued confidential cautionary letters.
• 191 matters were pending at year’s end.

The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct is the independent state agency that reviews complaints of ethical misconduct against the 3,500 judges and justices of the State Unified Court System and, where appropriate, renders public disciplinary Determinations.

The 2022 annual report is available here.

Second Amendment Legal Update: March, 2022

A monthly update, prepared for the Schuyler County Chapter of S.C.O.P.E. NY, a statewide 501(c)4 organization dedicated to preserving the 2nd Amendment rights for the residents of New York State.

For a complete PDF copy of this month's update, click here.

Senate proposal would change OTB representation

Copyright © 2022 FINGER LAKES MEDIA. All rights reserved

The state has proposed legislation that will change how Off-Track Betting (OTB) is overseen and operated. Under the proposed bill introduced by state Sen. Tim Kennedy, instead of each member county having its own representative, membership would be distributed by population.

"And Schuyler County would be forced to share a single representative with Cayuga, Chautauqua, Genesee, Livingston and Seneca Counties," said County Attorney Steven Getman. "Larger, western counties, such as Monroe and Erie, would gain representation on the board."

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Western Regional Off-Track Betting is a public benefit corporation that is owned by 15 counties and the cities of Buffalo and Rochester. Currently, there are county and city representatives that comprise the board of directors. The proposed bill would drastically change that structure with one member representing Chautauqua, Cayuga, Genesee, Livingston, Schuyler and Seneca counties, one member representing Oswego, Cattaraugus and Wayne counties, three representing Monroe, Wyoming and Orleans counties and four would represent Erie County. Additionally, one representative would represent Niagara County, another one would be appointed by the governor, one would be appointed by the Senate majority leader, and finally one would be appointed by the Assembly speaker.

While the new legislation is noted to help address prior problems, officials question if shifting the power to fewer areas of the state will actually accomplish those goals.

"Schuyler County, through its representation on the OTB board of directors, has been very vocal in trying to unravel these alleged deficiencies in the current OTB operations and this legislation would, paradoxically, weaken its voice in OTB governance," said Getman. "Had this legislation been in effect during the past several years, Schuyler County's ability to challenge these alleged deficiencies would likely have been seriously curtailed."

Remote Meetings Authorization Extended by NY Governor

On February 14, Governor Kathy Hochul issued Executive Order 11.3, which extends the State disaster emergency (and, therefore, the remote meeting authorization for public bodies) through March 16, 2022.

For more information on conducting public meetings during this period, click here.

Valentine's Day 2022: Avoid these "romance scams."

Romance scams in 2021: Fraudsters to the left of you, fakers to the right

Love happens year-round, not only on Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, romance scams are the same. So, along with sharing (or not) some chocolate, make Valentine’s Day a time to share with people you care about some ways to spot and avoid romance scams. Because, according to a new FTC report, people sent $547 million to online romance scammers last year.

How can you avoid a romance scam?

If someone appears on your social media and rushes you to start a friendship or romance, slow down.
Don’t send a reload, prepaid, or gift card; don’t wire money; and don’t send cryptocurrency to someone you met online.
If you suspect a romance scam, cut off contact. Tell the online app or social media platform right away, and then tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Second Amendment Legal Update: February 2022

A monthly update, prepared for the Schuyler County Chapter of S.C.O.P.E. NY, a statewide 501(c)4 organization dedicated to preserving the 2nd Amendment rights for the residents of New York State. For a complete PDF copy of this month's update, click here.

Raise the age: lawmakers raise concerns

© Copyright 2022 Press-Republican:

Sounding off at a state budget hearing, several lawmakers said the New York law that raised the age of criminal responsibility to 18 has been implemented with inadequate access to secure housing for offenders and may be a factor in the spread of gang violence.

The Raise the Age law was intended to keep young lawbreakers out of adult courts and prisons and provide them with programming so they won’t end up being mired in lives of crime.

Sen. Tom O’Mara, R-Big Flats, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said there are indications from law enforcement officials that criminals have been enlisting 16- and 17-year-old juveniles in their schemes because the youths face minimal legal consequences.

Schuyler County Tax Foreclosure: Judgment of Foreclosure

SUPREME COURT: STATE OF NEW YORK
COUNTY OF SCHUYLER

NOTICE OF ENTRY: Judgment of Foreclosure, Index No. 18-224

In The Matter Of Foreclosure Of Tax Liens By Proceeding In Rem Pursuant To Article Eleven Of The Real Property Tax Law by the County of Schuyler.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that annexed hereto is a true and correct copy of the Judgment of Foreclosure dated January 20, 2022 that was entered in the office of the Clerk of the County of Schuyler on January 21, 2022.

Schuyler County RPTL Art 11 Judgment of Foreclosure 2022 01 20 by Steven Getman on Scribd

Martin Luther King Day

Ronald Reagan:

"Each year on Martin Luther King Day, let us not only recall Dr. King, but rededicate ourselves to the Commandments he believed in and sought to live every day: Thou shall love thy God with all thy heart, and thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. And I just have to believe that all of us -- if all of us, young and old, Republicans and Democrats, do all we can to live up to those Commandments, then we will see the day when Dr. King's dream comes true, and in his words, "All of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning. . . land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

(President Reagan, Coretta Scott King, Bob Dole and others at the signing ceremony for HR 3706 making the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. a national holiday. 11/2/1983)

Schuyler County Attorneys to Present at New York State Public Welfare Conference

Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman has announced that two assistant county attorneys will share insights on child abuse investigations and court orders at the upcoming New York Public Welfare Association (NYPWA)’s Winter Conference on Thursday (January 20).

Assistant County Attorneys Kristin Hazlitt and Vinton Stevens will present a one-hour continuing legal education class, “Obtaining a CPS Access Order When Efforts at Persuasion Fail.” The course, designed for new and experienced attorneys, will look at cases where Department of Social Services child protective services (CPS) and law enforcement respond to a location after receiving a report of possible imminent danger to a child’s life or health and the adult subjects refuse to allow access to the home or child.

“Although DSS is usually able to obtain voluntary access to a home to investigate concerns about possible child maltreatment, occasionally a parent will refuse access,” Getman explained. “This presentation will discuss the law, the rights of the children and parents and administrative guidance for obtaining an access order in these situations.”

This year’s annual NYPWA winter conference, its 153rd, will be held virtually on January 18-21 and January 24-28.

NYPWA was founded in 1869 as the first public welfare association in the United States. It independently represents all of New York's 58 local social services districts. NYPWA is an active partner with government agencies, associations, and community organizations. It fulfills a key public role while presenting a variety of opportunities to exchange ideas, develop new initiatives, and refine existing programs and services.

The Schuyler County Attorney is the prosecuting attorney for all county agencies involving civil cases, including family court matters involving abuse and neglect investigated by the Schuyler County Department of Social Services. Assistant County Attorneys are appointed by Getman, as County Attorney, to assist with the litigation of the various types of civil cases brought by the county.

Hazlitt is originally from Schuyler County and commenced her legal career in Washington, DC after graduating cum laude from American University, Washington College of Law in 1989. She joined the county attorney’s office in 2002. Stevens was born and raised in Elmira, graduated from the University of Rochester and Temple University School of Law and has worked for the county since February 2019.