Lewis Korngut Removed

Lewis J. Korngut, a part-time municipal court judge for Lawrence and North Hanover Townships, New Jersey, was permanently removed from judicial office in a July 24, 2024 order, after submitting an affidavit of consent acknowledging the truth of the ethics allegations against him and the "indefensibility" of his conduct. The Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct's amended complaint found Korngut engaged in improper ex parte communications about pending case facts with the municipal prosecutor and police officers, fraternized with Lawrence Township police officers both in the courthouse and at social events in a way that cast reasonable doubt on his ability to act impartially, and gave sporting event tickets as gifts to a code enforcement officer who regularly appeared before him in court — creating an appearance of partiality. The complaint also cited a pattern of profanity from the bench.