Reid Johnson Removed

Reid L. Johnson, a Justice of the Ellington Town Court in Chautauqua County, New York since 2024, resigned from the bench in September 2025 while under investigation by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct. The investigation followed a September 2024 incident in which Johnson, riding a motorcycle, crashed at an intersection in Gerry, New York, and was found to have been operating the vehicle while intoxicated, with a blood alcohol content of 0.18% or higher — more than twice the legal limit. He pleaded guilty in December 2024 to Driving While Ability Impaired, a lesser violation-level offense, and was fined. In July 2025, the Commission notified Johnson it was investigating not only the DWI conduct itself but also an allegation that he had identified himself as a judge at the time of his arrest. Johnson tendered his resignation on September 12, 2025, effective October 3, and in his resignation letter agreed not to seek or accept judicial office again.