NOW IT'S FOUR
Yet another city
judge ducks out as probe goes on
By N. CLARK JUDD,
nj.com from the Web, October 4, 2007
Amidst a widening probe into
allegations of ticket-fixing in Jersey City, another municipal court judge has
left the bench.
Victor Sison delivered a terse letter to Mayor Jerramiah Healy and Hudson County
Assignment Judge Maurice Gallipoli yesterday morning announcing he was taking an
unpaid leave of absence from his position immediately. His letter does not
offer a reason and calls to his New York and New Jersey law offices yesterday
afternoon were not returned.
Sison joins colleagues Pauline Sica, Erwin Rosen and Wanda Molina in removing
themselves from the bench in the past two weeks. All the cases involve
what has been described as the improper handling of parking tickets.
The New Jersey Law Journal reported Monday that Gallipoli questioned Sica about
tickets she may have fixed for another judge. Sison is believed to be the
other judge, sources told The Jersey Journal.
Sica announced Friday she was taking an unpaid leave. Rosen announced his
leave Wednesday after allegations that he improperly dismissed a ticket he had
been issued, and Molina resigned Sept. 20 after allegations surfaced that she
had improperly disposed of tickets issued to her romantic partner.
The allegations against Molina and others have been referred to the criminal
justice division of the state Attorney General's office, said Trial Court
Administrator Joe Davis of the Hudson County Superior Court.
Neither Davis nor a spokesman for state Attorney General Anne Milgram would
comment on the number of allegations, although Davis said all the allegations so
far concern the improper handling of parking tickets.
"I am not at liberty to indicate whether these are employees, judges or both,"
Davis said, although he later added: "I'm certainly disappointed to date,
disappointed with the number of referrals we've had to make to the state
Attorney General's Office."
There are normally 10 sitting judges in the municipal court. Davis said
that currently only six are taking cases, but judges throughout Hudson County
are handling cases left behind by the judges who are absent.
On Tuesday, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner announced Gallipoli
would assume direct leadership of the court.
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