Judge James D. Gibbons, a popular Manhattan criminal court judge, has resigned from his judicial post amid a porn scandal. The 47 year-old judge sent in his letter of resignation after court officials discovered a large amount pornography on his work computer. He was off on paternity leave during the discovery. Gibbons recently fathered a child with Legal Aid lawyer Jeanne Emhoff, 31, in what has been described by the press as an “ethics-skirting romance.”
Porn is popular these days. With the SEC porn scandal and others, the lesson is simple – work computers and time are for work-related activities. And no, Gibbons was not working on some type of porn case. Downloading inappropriate content on a work computer is not a crime (unless the porn involves underage girls), but it is a sign of professional irresponsibility, especially for a judge. The porn was discovered during a routine computer monitoring check that red-flagged Gibbons computer terminal.
Related Resources:
- Judge Resigns Amid Reports of Discovery on Computer (NY Times)
- Dismissal For Viewing Porn At Work (FindLaw’s Solicitor)
- Ethics Panel Slaps Judge Kozinski With A Wet Noodle For His Porn Collection (FindLaw’s Courtside)
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