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N.J. Justice Faces Ethics Charge

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A New Jersey Supreme Court justice faces an ethics charge that alleges he abused his position to influence police and courts in a bullying case.

Roberto Rivera-Soto allegedly intervened on behalf of his 15-year-old son after telling school officials they were not doing enough to protect him from a bully, according to the New Jersey Law Journal.

The justice called the police chief and asked him to file criminal charges against the youth, according to the complaint. After the youth’s arrest, Rivera-Soto called the assignment judge, telling him the case should get attention, although he wanted no special treatment, the complaint says.

Rivera-Soto’s lawyer, Bruce McMoran, of Manasquan, N.J., told the legal newspaper that his client “believes he did nothing wrong. At all times, he was acting as a father in taking action on behalf of his son, who’s a minor.”

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