This Judge Tried To Get Out of Jury Duty by Saying Everyone Appearing Before Him Is Guilty
Nobody likes jury duty, but one local judge’s attempt to get out of serving on a grand jury ended up costing him his job. In October 2023, Richard Snyder, a New York town justice, said he couldn’t fairly serve on a grand jury because he believed anyone appearing before him was guilty.
“I know they are guilty,” Snyder said in a court transcript, according to The New York Times. If they weren’t guilty, Snyder added, “they would not be in front of me.” The judge dismissed Snyder and reported him to a disciplinary panel.
Snyder resigned in December from his post as a town justice—a position that allowed him to hear minor legal issues, like civil claims of less than $3,000, traffic violations, and misdemeanor crimes. Snyder didn’t have any previous legal experience and had been on the bench since winning a 2013 election. According to the Times, he made about $6,000 per year to hear
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