Upstate Family Court Judge, Bryan Hedges, age 65, resigned in April after acknowledging he had sexual contact 40 years ago with his 5-year-old deaf niece. The Judge admitted the incident took place before he was even a lawyer and nearly 13 years before he became a Judge.
The NYS Judicial Conduct Commission recommended that he be prohibitted from ever serving as a Judge again. Even though the time period in which to bring any criminal charges has passed, the Commission stated that his behavior, no matter how old, established his unfitness to perform the duties of a judge and was "prejudicial to the administration of justice" even if the incident was 40 years ago. The Commission stated that his sexual misconduct of a child, no less his disabled niece, was so horrible that had the truth been known he never would have been permitted to become a judge.
While it is clear that the judge's legal career is finished in disgrace, the Commission wants to make sure that the judge never wears the black robes again.