Audit prompts overseer for Greenburgh Town Court
The Journal News - Stacy A. Anderson - February 28, 2008
GREENBURGH- An independent audit criticizing the Town Court's financial record keeping has led a supervising judge to appoint a court overseer for at least four days a week.
A Rockland County judge who oversees all village and town courts in the state's 9th Judicial District said he appointed a staff member this week to monitor Greenburgh's court and make recommendations for as long as it takes.
"Certainly it's no secret that there are issues in Greenburgh with staffing and spaces issues," Judge Charles Apotheker said. "When visiting the court, I was taken by the fact that the people virtually work on top of each other. There is a lack of sufficient space to do jobs properly, which is a significant issue."
The appointment of a state overseer for Greenburgh's Town Court - the second in five years - came after a town-funded audit claimed poor record keeping for bail collections and refunds over a three-year period.
BST, an independent financial and management firm in Albany, cited "certain deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting" in court financial records dating from 2002 to 2005.
The Town Board does not govern the finances of the Town Court and has been reluctant to intervene with court operations, Supervisor Paul Feiner said.
"It's a separate branch of government, but, on the other hand, we do have a responsibility to make sure it's run properly," he said. "We have an obligation to make sure the money is properly accounted for."
Feiner said he believed the town would be able to work with the state to resolve the financial discrepancies soon.
The audit, still in draft form, reviewed cash receipts, disbursements and balances. It said the court could not provide "accurate record of bail collected and held for pending cases nor had adequate internal control."
Town Justices Doris Friedman, Sandra Forster and James W. Hubert, who is now a County Court judge, were responsible for the finances of their court by handling a bail account and collection account during the reviewed period. Chief Clerk Cecile Sia handles all financial court records.
Forster said the problem with financial records dates to the 1990s, when a study by the state Office of Court Administration cited poor record keeping.
"In 17 years, the court has not been in good shape, and it's an embarrassment," Forster said. "I feel it can't continue."
Forster said she has asked both town and state officials to follow through on yearly audit reports.
"We need to change the way things are done," she said.
Friedman said that, even after updating equipment and adding staff support recently, the Town Court still needed more changes.
"I do think, with the volume of work we have, we should have an accountant every quarter to review records," Friedman said. "It's a massive amount of work and we have thousands of cases."
The consultant found "significant deficiencies," such as numerous bail amounts still pending, amounts improperly recorded and the wrong amounts recorded in bail records.
The auditor also found unidentified differences in amounts in records of fines, fees, surcharges and other collections.
While the draft of the $22,000 report was completed in October, Feiner said other town business - such as the transition of a new clerk and two trustees, and preparing the town budget - prevented the board from dealing with the report until this year.
The Town Board and auditors met with Forster, Friedman and new Justice Arlene Gordon-Oliver, but adjourned until next month so the judges can review the report before it is completed.
There must be something strange in that drinking water up there in Westchester !!
ReplyDeleteWho the hell is running the show in the 9JD?
ReplyDeleteThe 9th district is out of control.Family court Judge Linda Christopher is a menace to the judicial system.Her own personal feelings toward men have spilled over into her decisions.She routinely keeps men away from their children,while ignoring the illegal actions of women.She is unfit to continue in her present capacity.
ReplyDeleteThen you must see how judges in Orange County such as Judge Andrew Bivona hates mothers and routinely keeps women away from their children ignoring the illegal actions of men. Personally is all about the $$$$$$ not about gender. Many good moms and dads are been destroyed by Judges who hate CHILDREN.
ReplyDeleteThe 9th judicial district is run (read: mis-run) and completely abused by one Frankie Nicolai- he's the 9th jd administrative judge- a thoroughly corrupt jackass of immense proporations.... if the feds looked into this clown, the hacks would come tumbling down, and justice would, for the first time in many many years, see the light of day in the 9th JD.
ReplyDeleteyou don't have to look too hard to find corruption in Greenburgh or Westchester Co. It's all over the place. Have a good friend who works in the courthouse in White Plains and you should hear the stories. She says she is going to the US Attorney's Office in the city. Don't understand why all the corruption can't be ended.
ReplyDeleteDo not leave out the 8TH DISTRICT in WNY.....Way out of control and the testing ground for abuse of employees in NYC! Lots of discrimination and conspiracy to occupy employees here that want to do the right thing and are being threatened by ADMIN. JUDGE SHARON TOWNSEND!.... the criminal behaving judge that is always wearing a "turtle" neck! I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO make the calls AND reports to the FBI, FEDERAL CT and this EXPOSE CORRUPT COURTS SITE!
ReplyDeleteI do believe that even though OCA has banned this site from it's employees, that all of the administrators still have it on thier computers! They are dying to know who is talking and what information they have so, their mediocre criminal minds can send some state law enforcement officers after you. Just make sure you have a video phone and small tape recorder on you!
Orange county you are right : Judges who do not have the best interest of children in mind must go !
ReplyDeleteI was correct....OCA supervisors still have this site on their computers....and i don't even work there!
ReplyDeleteALL EMPLOYEES SHOULD WATCH OUT FOR OCA AND THESE TACTICS THEY USE TO DESTROY YOU.
1) OCA USES THE ABUSE SOFTWARE...CYFIN REPORTER. THE HEADQUARTERS ARE LOCATED IN FLA. AND THEY SELL THIS SOFTWARE TO MOSTLY GOV. AGENCIES. CYFIN IS NOT IN APPROVAL OF THE WAY OCA IS USING THEIR PRODUCT! CYFIN MONITORS ALL COMPUTERS IN USE.. YOUR INTERNET.... FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW AND THEY KNOW THE NAMES AND SITES AND AMOUNT OF USAGE EVERY EMPLOYEE HAS GONE TO! OCA PICKS AND CHOOSES WHOSE USAGE THEY WANT TO REPORT AS ABUSIVE USING NO COMPARATIVES, TO LIMIT OR FIRE YOU! CHECK OUT CYFIN REPORTER ON THE INTERNET..YOU WILL SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO AND HOW OCA CORRUPTLY MANIPULATES IT!
OCA ALSO HAS FREE ACCESS TO YOUR COMPUTER WITHOUT YOU KNOWING THEY ARE IN IT...YOU CAN CHECK THE BOTTOM OF THE COMPUTER FOR A LITTLE BLACK BOX. THEIR AUTOMATION DEPT IS VERY WILLING TO CO-OPERATE WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL APPOINTED HACKS, TOO.
2) OCA WILL THEN TAKE THE DATA AND CREATE AN ABUSE SITUATION IF YOU HAVE NONE, BY ALTERING THE REPORT BY CUT AND PASTING SITES AND TIMES TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU NEVER DO ANY WORK AND ALWAYS USE THE INTERNET! OCA WILL ALSO CREATE REPORTS THAT ARE 7 MONTHS OLD FROM THE ALLEGED ABUSE OF YOU CONCOCTED USAGE AND USE THAT AGAINST YOU.THEY PRODUCE AN INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE DEFECTIVE ABUSE REPORT AND HAVE THE NON-CREATOR OF THE REPORT TESTIFY TO ITS ACCURACY AND CONTENT... WHILE LEAVING YOU WITHOUT THE ORIGINAL REPORTS OF DATES AND TIMES. THEY ALSO WILL SERVE YOU WITH THE 7 MONTH OLD COMPUTER REPORT AFTER THEIR NEGATIVELY DETERMINED FIRST FULL HEARING DATE, SO YOU CANNOT....DEFEND YOURSELF...LIKE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO IN AMERICA. YOU ARE LEFT HELPLESS TO EXAMINE THE DISGUSTINGLY POOR COVERUP OF WHAT THEY HAVE CREATED, BEFORE THE IMMEDIATE DECISION DEMANDED BY JAN PLUMADORE! YOU HAVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE UNTIL AFTER OCA HAS COMMITTED PERJURY AND ALTERS THE TRANSCRIPT,AND THEN "CSEA" NEGATES YOUR ABILITY TO FILE AN ART 78~ TOO EXPENSIVE...NO PARTIES OR TRIP FOR US IF WE DO.
3) OCA ALSO HAS THEIR CHIEF AND DEPUTY CLERKS SLANDERING YOU WHEN THEY GO OUT TO SMOKE OR WHEN YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE OFFICE, AS A COURT CLERK WOULD BE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY! DURING THESE SESSIONS, THESE POLITICAL HACKS TELL OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT YOU WERE IN THEIR OFFICE DISCUSSING THEM USING THE 'N" WORD AND OTHER ALLEGED RACIST AND SEXIST REMARKS.WATCH OUT FOR THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE LUNCH WITH, SIT NEXT TO OR TALK TO OFTEN OR SMOKE WITH....THEY ARE THE WRETCHED MOLES WHO LIE FOR A PAYCHECK, WHILE EVEN BEING PREGNANT WITH THEIR CHILDREN!!!!! LUCKY US THAT THEY PRO-CREATE.
THIS IS JUST A LITTLE OF HOW OCA OPERATES WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO EXPOSE THE TRUTH!
I SUGGEST ALL EMPLOYEES STOP USING THE INTERNET AND USE IT AT HOME ONLY, BE AWARE OF CYFIN REPORTER, AND DOCUMENT EVERYTHING YOU FEEL IS UNUSUAL OR STRANGE!
I HOPE ALL OCA SUPERVISORS READ THIS AND NOTE...BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING AND IT IS NOT JUST YOU!
I still think we should all encourage ex Judge Lawrence Horowitz to come foward about the corrupt judges and clerks in Orange County. Come on the game is on and is time to bring down these criminals.
ReplyDeleteHon.Judge Linda Christopher: This Woman speaks with authority,but has hatred in her heart.She does not have a grasp on the matters before her.She was put in this position to appease the politically correct crowd.She inflicts more pain and sorrow on CHILDREN than any street thug could ever accomplish.
ReplyDeleteWE ask the Federal authorities to investigate this woman immediately.
I second that with a full investigation of one Bernadette Lupinetti, Esq. a law guardian in need of a full investigation. Just beware I believe she is marry to someone working for AG Cuomo. Opps I did it again.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone please inform what is a single mother to do about Hon Judge Linda Christopher: I am pleading for my daughters sake. I am in a case where the Judge is clearly favoring one side. It is as if she and a whole other team of attorneys eat off the same table and do not take into account the well-being of the child. Please help!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am in front of Linda Christopher in a case involving my 5 year old son. Judge Christopher changed the time at the last minute and I informed the Court I could not attend. Judge Christopher in retaliation orderd supervised visitation and entered default judgments on all other actions against me. Her hatred of men is well known in Nyack as well as around Rockland. She is hurting children and destroying the lives of people who only want to be good fathers. I hope that the AG office and the Commission on Judicial conduct stop her before more children are hurt.
ReplyDeleteYou can add Ann Gilleece to the list of the most corrupt Attorney's for the child in Rockland county NY. She will lie at will with no regard for the sake of the child.
ReplyDeleteJudge Christopher needs to be removed from office and someone who will hold to the requirements of the position and the law more strenuously put in place. She rules on objections to cases without reviewing all of the evidence that was presented on a case in its entirety and also refuses to rule or direct rulings on items that are forwarded on appeal that are ignored by the originating court.
ReplyDeleteIn my wife's case Judge Christopher overturned decisions on appeal because of various items brought into evidence that did not make it into the final court decisions that were either handled during the court proceedings or conceded outside of the proceedings, so the court was informed it did not need to rule on these items. For example: the father presented a fraudulent tax return to the mother, lied about it in writing and then showed up on the day of court with a new tax return. This was part of the original complaint and was all recorded into evidence as part of the testimony collected. However, Judge Christopher on appeal somehow decided that the mother did NOT prevail on this point of the complaint, since the detailed information regarding the fraud did not make the final decision by the original court. The fact that it did not make the final decisions does not make these items any less valid and the fact that a mother had to take a father to court in order to obtain a valid tax return in order to enforce their agreement does not make it any less burdensome from a time, effort, money and emotional standpoint to the mother and affected child.
Additionally there were several items that were included as part of the original complaint that were never ruled on by the original Judge Catherine Miklitsch and turned away by Judge Christopher as not being subject to appeal. How does the court handle these items? If the first judge refuses to rule, is it not the requirement of the appeals court judge to either rule or send them back to the first judge for a decision? Is it not an abrogation of the appeals judge’s duty to not direct a finding in these matters? To add insult to injury in this case, since the original court refused to rule on these items Judge Christopher deemed that the mother did not prevail and used this against her in the determination of legal fees…
All Judge Christopher has done (in the case brought by my wife trying to protect her son) is embolden further bad behavior by the father. Judge Christopher has made it prohibitive from both a financial and emotional standpoint for a concerned mother to protect her son through a court system that is supposed to exist for exactly this purpose.
http://rocklandgov.com/departments/consumer-protection-weights-and-measures/
ReplyDelete