Judge suspended for improper relationship with lawyer
TOMS RIVER Superior Court Judgpatagonia guide jacket 20153e Melanie Donohue Appleby will be suspended from the bench for one month without pay, the New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled.Appleby, 50, who has served for three years in the Family Division of Superior Court at the Ocean County Courthouse, was found to have violated multiple canons of the code of judicial conduct after Appleby apatagonia outlet freeport reviewsdmitted that she had presided over cases where she had a conflict of interestpatagonia store san francisco ca.Ocean County news: Election ResultsThe complaint stems from a personal problem Appleby was having with her ex husband, Christopher Donohue, in 2012 over the amount of child support that he was willing to pay her for their son. Appleby sought out and received assistance from a family law attorney in town who, at the time, also was representing other cpatagonia laptop bag reviewlients before Appleby in her official capacity as a judge.In a decision filed Wednesday, the state Supreme Court concluded that Appleby had failed to personally observe high standards of conduct to preserve the integrity and independence of the judiciary; that she had not at all times acted in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary; that she should have disqualified herself from proceedings in which the judge s impartiality might reasonably be questioned; that her patagonia guide pants saleextra judicial activities had cast doubt on her capacity to act impartially; that she had failed to conduct all extra judicial activities in a manner so as to not demean the judicial office; and that her extra judicial activities interfered with the proper performance of her judicial duties.The one month suspension is to start Monday, the hpatagonia guide jacket 20150igh court rupatagonia chile fly fishing lodges for saleled.Lakehurst man wanted for trying to kill Seaside Heights cop surrendersAppleby had been getting legal assistance with her child support issue from attorney Frank A. Louis of Toms Rpatagonia guide jacket 20152iver. During his initial consultation with Appleby, Louis had made it clear to her that he did not want his involvement in her personal matter to result in her recusing herself from active cases where Louis had business before her court, according to the complaint filed one year ago by the Advisory Committee on Jupatagonia guide jacket 20151dicial Conduct in Trenton. The committee, which is an arm of the Supreme Court, investigates complaints made against judges in New Jersey and then makes subsequent recommendations to the justices.After Louis met with Appleby, he contacted a friend, attpatagonia outlet store 18orney Mark Biel a partner in the firm Biel, Zlotnick and Feinberg of Northfield in Atlantic County. Louis asked Biel if he would represent Appleby, but Biel declined, citing his caseload, the complaint stated. The plan was for Louis to use the stationery to draft a letter of representation that Biel said he would review and sign, the complaint stated.As promised, Louis received the stationery but he never followed through with what Biel said was discussed and agreed upon. Nevertheless, Louis went ahead and used the stationery. The letter was even signed, Mark Biel, though Biel never signed it, according to the complaint.When the lawyer for Appleby s ex husband reached out to Biel in an effort to discuss the child support issue, Biel said he had no idea what the attorney was talking about, the complaint said.Corrupt Lakewood inspector wants pensionAppleby denied that she had any knowledge of any cover up, but she did recognize that she had engaged in a conflict of interest, and she asked for leniency from the Supreme Court. Appleby, a former Republican Toms River councilwoman, was nominated to the bench in Ocean County by Gov. Chris Christie in June 2011. As a judge, Appleby has an annual base salary of $165,000. The Supreme Court s decision to suspend her was unanimous.In New Jersey, Superior Court judges are appointed to an initial seven year term before they are subject to reappointmentpatagonia guide jacket quotations by the governor for a tenured judgeship until the mandatorypatagonia guide jacket your own bullets retirement age of 70. That mepatagonia guide jacket 2015ans that if Appleby wipatagonia guide jacket 40rshes to remain on the bench at the end of her current term, she would have to be nominated by whoever is governor in 2018.The committee consists of nine members. The Supreme Court designates one member to serve as chair and another member to serve as vice chair. A minimum of two members must be retired justices or judges of the Supreme Court or Superior Court. At least three members must be members of the New Jersey State Bar Association. No more than four members can be lay persons who do not hold public office of any nature.
