Perkins resigns from Machias Town Court

December 28, 2010

New York: Norman A. Perkins resigned from the Machias Town Court in New York on December 3, 2010. The resignation comes as a result of an investigation by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct. A stipulation document issued by the commission declared that Justice Perkins had failed "to be patient, dignified, and courteous to litigants, witnesses, lawyers, and others with whom he dealt in an official capacity, and failed to perform his judicial duties without bias or prejudice against or in favor of any person..." A formal complaint had been issued against him on October 12, 2010, which described four different charges. Perkins, a town justice since 2004, will not be allowed to "seek nor accept judicial office in the future."

Fellow town justice, Francis L. Lounsbury, will take on Perkins's case load. It is likely that a replacement for Perkins will be chosen by election at the end of his term in one year.