N.Y.Court order
New York's top court removes Canandaigua town justice over racial slur and biased remarks
The New York Court of Appeals on October 27, 2026, removed Canandaigua Town Justice Walter W. Jones from office, accepting the Commission on Judicial Conduct's recommended sanction. The court found Jones used a racial slur while recounting a story to a court staff member and a public defender in May 2024, then days later said from the bench that a Black defendant had played the race card.
Order (WXXI News) → · Bloomberg Law, ABA Journal
Key points
- The Commission on Judicial Conduct recommended removal in March; the Court of Appeals must review commission sanctions before they take effect.WXXI NewsBloomberg Law
- Jones, a town justice since 1999, used the slur outside the Ontario County Jail after an arraignment in May 2024.WXXI NewsABA Journal
- Five days later he said from the bench that a Black defendant had played the race card over her bail.WXXI NewsABA Journal
- The court said Jones's inability to recognize the impact of his statements showed he misunderstood the need for judges to be and appear impartial.ABA Journal
- His lawyer said Jones had no comment while exploring options for federal relief.WXXI News