Spring Valley Judge Resigns Over 1978 Felony Conviction

SPRING VALLEY, NY — The state has now nixed a second judge of the Spring Valley Village Court. Jacques Michel has resigned from office, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced Wednesday. His felony record disqualified him from being a judge, according to the SCJC.

The state accepted a stipulation about the resignation signed by the judge, his attorney and the Commission’s Administrator, and has closed its formal proceeding against the judge, SCJC officials said.

Judge Michel was served with a Formal Written Complaint dated May 1, 2017, containing one charge, alleging that he does not meet the legal qualifications to serve as a Village Justice as a result of a 1978 federal felony conviction. He resigned effective June 5, 2017. In doing so, he agreed never to seek or accept judicial office at any time in the future, unless his felony conviction were vacated by a final order of a court of the United States.

Judge Michel, who is not an attorney, was appointed Justice of the Spring Valley Village Court by the Mayor of Spring Valley on or about Oct. 31, 2016, to fill a vacancy created when the Court of Appeals accepted the Commission’s determination to remove Justice Alan M. Simon from that office. Judge Michel’s term would have expired on Dec. 31, 2017.

The Commission reviewed years of complaints against Simon, who was a judge in both Ramapo and Spring Valley, before ousting him. From telling a co-judge to have a stroke and die, to throwing a fit over one of the mayor's hires in "a shocking display of physical aggression," and engaging in impermissible political activity, the Commission enumerated a number of incidents that its members considered in making their decision.

The Commission has accepted 66 such stipulations since the procedure was instituted in 2003.

STATEMENT BY COMMISSION ADMINISTRATOR ROBERT H. TEMBECKJIAN

“Judge Michel was ineligible to serve as a village justice in the first place because he is a convicted felon. Under the circumstances, his departure from office was inevitable, and his agreement to do so sooner rather than be forced into it later was responsible.”

DOCUMENTS IN THE CASE

The Commission’s order closing the matter, the stipulation and a press release are attached and can be found on the Commission’s website, www.cjc.ny.gov.

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