Will South Jersey judge who put feet on desk, didn't wear robes to court be punished?
CAMDEN – A state judge here could be disciplined for his actions while in a temporary role that he disliked in 2021.
A judicial-oversight committee has proposed a public reprimand for Superior Court Judge Michael Kassel, describing his behavior as “misconduct.”
The Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct recommended the discipline to the state Supreme Court.
It found Kassel had violated two counts of a formal complaint that addressed his behavior over three months in 2021.
Ruling orders sex charge dismissed: Man charged with 1990 rape of slain woman in Wildwood can't be tried. Here is why
What did Judge Michael Kassel do wrong?
Kassel, a civil division judge since 2001, was assigned to Family Court one day a week during that period due to another judge's extended absences.
Kassel “inappropriately criticized and expressed dissatisfaction with the assignment” while presiding over at least 16 Family Court cases, according to the committee.
It also faulted his failure to wear judicial robes during virtual hearings, including one session where Kassel put his feet up on a desk.
Among other points, the committee’s presentment said Kassel “remarked to litigants and their counsel that he lacked familiarity with their case, was ignorant of the applicable law and inexperienced in adjudicating family court matters.”
Two counts in Kassel complaint unproven
The committee urged the Supreme Court to dismiss two additional counts, saying they were unproven.
Those claims focused on Kassel’s purported conflict of interest with an attorney who had previously represented him in a DWI case.
Kassel could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
In a previous response to the committee, the judge acknowledged he “failed” the parties before him and described his criticisms as “inappropriate.”
But Kassel denied allegations of willful misconduct, and said his criticisms were "frequently" accompanied by explanations for why he was making them.
The committee cited as a mitigating factor Kassel’s “lengthy period of committed service to the bench.” It also credited his acknowledgment “that he ‘could have and should have worked harder to prepare for and understand the Family matters.’”
An investigation into Kassel’s behavior began after a participant in a June 2021 hearing complained about his conduct.
The committee disclosed the complaint against Kassel in April 2022.
Kassel obtained tenure in 2008, positioning him to stay on the bench until he turns 70 in 2027.
Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Public reprimand recommended for NJ Superior Court judge's misconduct
