Commission proceedings are confidential pursuant to statute.  There are two situations in which a pending matter involving the Commission may be public.  (1) The judge whose conduct is being investigated by the Commission may waive confidentiality.  (2) The Commission may be the subject of a public lawsuit, typically commenced by a judge whose conduct is subject to investigation by the Commission, or by an associate of the judge.

WAIVERS OF CONFIDENTIALITY

Pursuant to Judiciary Law Sections 44(4) and 45, all Commission proceedings are confidential, unless the subject judge waives confidentiality or the Commission issues a determination that the judge should be admonished, censured, removed or retired from office.

Since 1978, when the current law went into effect, 14 judges have waived confidentiality at some stage of the Commission's proceedings.

HEARINGS
Year	Judge	Disposition
1980	Norman H. Shilling	Censured
1982	James J. Leff	Censured
1982	J. Richard Sardino	Removed
1983	Alan I. Friess	Removed
1984	William G. Mayville	Removed
1988	Bruce McM. Wright	Censured
1996	B. Marc Mogil	Removed
1997	Lorin M. Duckman (oral argument only)	Removed
2004	Henry R. Bauer	Removed
2007	Marian R. Shelton	Retired
2008	Duane A. Hart (oral argument only)	Censured
2012	Lee L. Holzman	Censured

 

INVESTIGATIONS
Year	Judge	Disposition
2006	Michael R. Ambrecht	Censured
2006	William A. Wetzel	Retired