Opinion
D-37 September Term 2020 085196
09-16-2021
In the MATTER OF Steven BRISTER, A Judge of the Municipal Court
ORDER
The Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct having filed with the Court pursuant to Rule 2:15-15(a), a Presentment finding by clear and convincing evidence that Steven Brister, a Judge of the Municipal Court, while serving as an acting Judge of the City of Newark Municipal Court, violated the following Canons and Rules of the Code of Judicial Conduct: Canon 1, Rule 1.1 ( a judge shall participate in establishing, maintaining and enforcing, and shall personally observe, high standards of conduct so the integrity, impartiality and independence of the judiciary is preserved); Canon 2, Rule 2.1 (a judge shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety) and Rule 2.2 (a judge shall decide cases according to the law and facts and shall not permit family, social, political, financial or other relationships or interests to influence their judicial conduct or judgment); and Canon 3, Rule 3.5 (a judge shall be patient, dignified and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, and lawyers and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity) and Rule 3.6(A) (a judge shall be impartial and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender identity or expression, religion/ religious practices or observances) and (C) (a judge shall not manifest, by words or conduct, any bias or prejudice, and shall not engage in harassment on the basis specified in Rule 3.6(A), or allow staff to do so);
And the Committee having recommended to the Court based on its findings in the Presentment that Steven Brister be suspended from his judicial duties, without pay, for a period of one month;
And the Court having ordered Steven Brister to show cause why he should not be publicly disciplined through the imposition of a sanction that is less than removal from judicial office;
And good cause appearing;
It is ORDERED that the findings and recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct are adopted and Steven Brister, a Judge of the Municipal Court, is hereby suspended from the performance of his judicial duties, without pay, for a period of one month, from September 22, 2021 through October 22, 2021.