Richard T. Snyder, a judge in Petersburgh, New York, resigned after trying to avoid jury duty by stating he believed all defendants are guilty. Snyder's actions led to a misconduct charge by a state judicial commission.
An upstate New York judge has resigned after being charged with misconduct by a state judicial commission . Richard T. Snyder, who served as a justice of the Petersburgh Town Court for about a decade, stepped down following an incident where he attempted to avoid jury duty . Snyder claimed he couldn't be impartial because he believed everyone brought before a court is guilty.
During a 2023 jury selection process, Snyder initially identified himself as a judge and then stated, 'I know everybody come in front of me. I know they are guilty. They would not be in front of me.' Despite being questioned and urged to reconsider his position, Snyder persisted in arguing that he could not be fair. Court transcripts from a special grand jury empanelment in Rensselaer County reveal his repeated assertions. At a subsequent judicial commission hearing, Snyder acknowledged the legal principle of 'innocent until proven guilty' but maintained his belief that individuals wouldn't be in court unless they had committed crimes. He explained, 'I meant, that they were guilty because they did something wrong. But they’re not guilty 'til they come to court. They’re innocent 'til proven guilty.' Snyder, who was elected as a justice and is not a lawyer, has agreed to never serve as a judge again. The Petersburgh Town Court, located in a small town outside Albany near the borders of Vermont and Massachusetts, did not immediately respond to voicemails left by reporters. Robert H. Tembeckjian, administrator of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, released a statement condemning Snyder's actions. Tembeckjian emphasized, 'There is no place on the bench for someone who so deeply misunderstands the role of a judge and the administration of justice. It is bad enough that a judge would seek to avoid such a fundamental civic responsibility as jury service. It is astounding that the judge would claim an inability to be impartial, and to declare under oath that the accused must be guilty or they would not be in court.
NY Judge Jury Duty Misconduct Judicial Commission Petersburgh New York
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