NEW CITY – Clarkstown Justice Scott Ugell has resigned as town court judge after an investigation by state officials. Three separate complaints were being investigated by the state when Ugell tendered his resignation on May 25, 2023. The resignation, effective June 30, 2023, includes a stipulation that Ugell will never seek or accept a position as a judge in New York in the future.
The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct advised Judge Ugell that it was investigating a complaint received in March of this year that alleged that he presided over a landlord/tenant case without disclosing that an attorney in the case had personally represented him in an unrelated matter, and he did not allow the opposing party a chance to be heard on the matter.
A second complaint, received in April, alleged that Ugell became a candidate for Clarkstown town supervisor without resigning from his position as Clarkstowntown justice.
In May of this year, a third complaint against Ugell alleged that he testified falsely in a lawsuit claiming he was ineligible to run for town supervisor.
Commission Administrator Robert Tembeckjian said, “Public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the courts requires a judge to step aside in cases where there is a conflict, or disclose the conflict so the parties may request a new judge.”
Regarding Ugell’s campaign for supervisor and the alleged false testimony, Tembeckjian said of the rules, “It also requires separating politics from the bench, meaning a judge must resign upon becoming a candidate for non-judicial office. And it should go without saying that, when called as a witness, a judge must always testify truthfully.”
First elected in 1991, Ugell’s current term expires on December 31, 2023.
