By Y.M. Lowy

Rockland County Supreme Court Justice Sherri L. Eisenpress will retire from the bench and has agreed not to seek judicial office again, following misconduct charges filed by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

The Commission charged Justice Eisenpress with failing to disclose close personal and social relationships with several attorneys who appeared before her in court, as well as conflicts connected to a law firm tied to her principal law clerk’s spouse. Judges are required to reveal such relationships and step aside from cases where their impartiality could reasonably be questioned.

According to the complaint, between 2019 and 2024 she presided over at least 55 cases involving attorneys with whom she had personal connections, without disclosing those ties or recusing herself. The Commission also alleged she handled at least 41 cases involving her law clerk’s spouse’s firm without disclosure or insulating the clerk from those matters. The filing further described shared travel and ongoing group communications between the judge, attorneys, and court staff during those years.

Rather than continue through a full disciplinary trial, Eisenpress signed an agreement to retire and permanently leave judicial office. The Commission accepted the agreement at the end of January. Her retirement takes effect April 28, 2026.

Under the terms of the agreement, there is no formal finding of misconduct and no admission of wrongdoing. The case is considered closed because of her permanent resignation from the bench.

Commission officials said the action was appropriate given the seriousness of the allegations.

In a statement released to the press, Eisenpress said, “It has been the greatest honor of my professional life to serve the people of New York for more than fourteen years as a Family Court Judge and Supreme Court Justice. While I disagree with many aspects of the Commission’s position on this matter, and have submitted a detailed and substantive response to the allegations, I have nevertheless concluded that the most responsible course for my family was to step aside rather than subject litigants, myself, the court system, and my colleagues to a prolonged and financially draining proceeding. I remain proud of my work, grateful to those with whom I served, and deeply committed to the principles of fairness, integrity, and public trust that define our courts.”