Supreme Court Justice Robert M. Berliner Resigns

Rockland judge Robert M. Berliner has served as a Justice of the Supreme Court, 9th Judicial District, since 2008. Berliner announced his retirement on June 7 after being served with formal charges over prohibited political activity by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. His current term would have ended on December 31, 2028.

Berliner wrote in a letter to the chief administrative judge for the State Of New York Unified Court System, Judge Lawrence Marks, "I am writing to inform you that I have decided to retire from my position as a Justice of the Supreme Court Ninth Judicial District effective September 30, 2022."

Before the complaint was served, there was a lengthy investigation to which, according to officials, Berliner cooperated. The formal written complaint served to Berlinger stated that he engaged in prohibited political activity on behalf of two candidates for judicial office in September 2015 and November 2017. The formal complaint stated Berliner accompanied and/or introduced the candidates to three gatherings to promote their candidacies as community and political leaders in Orange and Rockland counties. 

Commission Administrator Robert Tembeckjian shared in a Wednesday statement, "Judges must be and appear unswayed by partisan politics. Prohibiting their involvement in political campaigns, except when running for judicial office themselves, is essential to public confidence in the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. Promoting someone else's candidacy with political leaders is inconsistent with this mandate."

Berliner agreed to leave office and never seek or accept judicial office in the future. The Commission accepted a stipulation signed by the judge, his attorney, and the Commission's Administrator.

Photo: RCBJ