Putnam County Town Justice Resigns After Political Misconduct Complaints

The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced Thursday that Alan F. Steiner, a Justice of the Philipstown Town Court and an Acting Justice of the Cold Spring Village Court, Putnam County, has resigned from office effective Sept. 20, 2016, and has agreed never to seek or accept judicial office at any time in the future.

The Commission accepted a stipulation to that effect signed by the judge and its Administrator, and the investigation is now closed, officials said in the announcement.

According to commission officials, Judge Steiner was told in April 2016 that they were investigating complaints alleging that he:

• used his Facebook account to engage in direct or indirect political activity
• delayed decision for more than a year in a small claims case, Anthony Fiore v Energy Savers and Air Quality Services, Inc.
• failed to timely complete required Continuing Judicial Education in 2010, 2011 and 2014.

Steiner has served as a Justice of the Philipstown Town Court and an Acting Justice of the Cold Spring Village Court since 2000. His current terms would have expired on Dec. 31 , 2016. Both positions were part-time.

He has since completed his CLE requirements and removed all commentary from his Facebook account, according to the commission.

He waived the statutory provision of confidentiality applicable to Commission proceedings, to the limited extent that the stipulation and Commission’s acceptance of it would be public, officials said.

The stipulation and the Commission’s order closing the case can be found on the Commission’s website.