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Judge who socialized with police officers, used the F-word, agrees to removal from bench

By Debra Cassens Weiss

August 1, 2024, 9:27 am CDT

A municipal court judge in New Jersey has agreed to permanent removal from office after admitting material facts in a misconduct complaint that accused him of using the F-word when frustrated with his computer and socializing with police officers.

Judge Lewis J. Korngut, a part-time judge in the townships of Lawrence and North Hanover, New Jersey, was removed in a July 24 order.

The amended complaint alleged that Korngut:

  • Had ex parte conversations with police officers and a municipal prosecutor about court matters.

In an answer to the complaint in October 2023, Korngut said he didn’t discuss substantive matters in conversations with prosecutors and didn’t discuss pending court matters with officers.

  • Reviewed an accident report that had not been made available to the prosecutor and the defense counsel during a conference in his chambers. When told of a potential resolution in the case, he asked whether police officers had been consulted, which was not a requirement. He then spoke to a police officer about the facts of the case in front of the prosecutor, the public defender and the private defense counsel, leading to a motion for recusal. He denied the motion.

In his answer to the complaint, Korngut said the report was part of his court file, and he asked whether police officers had been notified because they were assault victims.

  • Fraternized with Lawrence Township police officers in court and socialized with them at public and private events outside the courthouse. He attended “National Night Out” events promoting police-community partnerships, attended various sporting events with officers, and frequented a local Hooters restaurant with them.

In his answer, Korngut said it was common for judiciary employees to attend the “National Night Out” events. He attended only two sporting events with officers and stopped when he learned that it was inappropriate, he said. He denied frequenting Hooters but said one time when he was there with court staff, a police officer “was incidentally present,” and it was “unbeknownst” to him.

  • Gave a township officer who regularly appears before him tickets to a New York Giants football game.

  • Has “a propensity to use profanity” in earshot of court staff, sometimes relating to laptop problems. In cited examples, he complained, “I am going to throw this computer through the f- - -ing window,” and remarked that his computer was “a f- - -ing nightmare.” The profanity was not directed at court staff, however.

Korngut denied “a propensity to use profanity” and said his “crude” expressions of computer frustration did not happen during judicial proceedings.

Korngut had no prior discipline as a judge or in his previous employment as a prosecutor and a lawyer in the state attorney general’s office. He has received numerous awards during his legal career, including as deputy attorney general of the year in 2005.

Korngut “is well respected in the legal community and has treated litigants, court staff and attorneys with patience, kindness and respect through the entirety of his judicial career,” his answer said.

Korngut’s lawyer, Robert M. Perry of Rosenberg Perry & Associates, told the ABA Journal that he has spoken with Korngut, and he has no comment at this time.

Law360 and Law.com are among the publications with coverage of Korngut’s removal.