Jill Kehn Censured

Jill Kehn, a Rensselaer County Family Court judge in New York since 2022, was censured by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct following a lengthy investigation into a hostile work environment she created for her court staff. The Commission found that from January through December 2022, Kehn sent hostile and demeaning emails about the court's chief clerk, failed to perform her administrative duties fairly and impartially, was undignified and discourteous with staff, acted to undermine the chief clerk's authority, and defied a direct order from her Administrative Judge not to confront court staff about their work. The situation was serious enough that state court administrators moved Kehn and other affected staff to Albany County's family court before the discipline was finalized. Kehn agreed to the censure.