Any person, even without specific knowledge of the law and judicial ethics, may understand that to propose courthouse jobs to family members, relatives, and friends is unacceptable. Nevertheless, Luis Gonzalez, presiding justice of the Bronx and Manhattan’s appellate division, have instituted personal patronage “in his part of the court system” (“Judicial conduct unbecoming,” 2012, para. 2). In 2002, he joined his appellate division and introduced the practice of proposing vacancies within a courthouse to increase his control after his assignment to a position of the presiding justice seven years afterward (“Judicial conduct unbecoming,” 2012). According to the official report prepared in 2010 by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, almost all replacements due to an early-retirement program of this appellate division got their jobs because they had relatives, friends, acquaintances, or other contacts.
Among these people, six persons had a direct connection with the presiding justice Luis Gonzalez, including his secretary’s brother and his executive assistants’ nephews who were not sufficiently qualified for their positions. Among the personnel, there was Gonzalez’s ex-wife as well, who received a higher salary in comparison with other paralegals (“Judicial conduct unbecoming,” 2012). Every assignment was approved and signed by Justice Gonzalez, who initiated and controlled this favoritism. The state agency that was occupied with the presiding justice’s conduct issues an essentially critical report concerning his activity; however, Luis Gonzalez keeps his position until the present.
The system of posting the majority of administrative jobs exclusively in “nonpublic rooms of the courthouse” supports favoritism and nepotism (“Judicial conduct unbecoming,” 2012, para. 2). This unacceptable activity does not give highly qualified candidates a chance to get their jobs in the court system.
Reference
Judicial conduct unbecoming. (2012). The New York Times. Web.