SAUGERTIES – Saugerties Town Justice Claudia Andreassen is resigning from her position effective Friday, September 30 amidst an investigation of her actions by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Andreassen has served as a judge since being appointed in 2012 and being elected during three subsequent elections.
Andreassen’s resignation puts an end to the investigation after the commission and the judge agreed to a stipulation that she would resign from judicial office on or before September 30, 2022, and never seek or accept judicial office at any time in the future.
Andreassen, a non-lawyer judge was advised by the commission on four different occasions between February of 2020 and May of this year that it was investigating six complaints filed against her. One of the charges against Andreassen was that she “failed to maintain professional competence in the law”.
Democrat Andreassen, a former probation officer, was also accused of having an “adversarial relationship” with the Saugerties Police Department, making “disrespectful comments about court staff and courtroom spectators”, and “violated various prohibitions on campaign activity by judges”.
“Judges are obliged to be competent in the law, to be and appear fair in the administration of justice, and to be courteous toward all with whom they deal in an official capacity. The multiple complaints against Judge Andreassen were serious, and her permanent departure from the bench was appropriate,” said Commission Administrator Robert Tembeckjian.
A complaint against the retiring judge also alleged that she attempted to make staffing changes without consulting her fellow town justice or the town board.
