The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct censured acting State Supreme Court Judge Mark Grisanti Tuesday for an altercation that occurred in 2020.
The commission ruled that the Erie County judge would not be removed for engaging in a street brawl with his neighbors, and for participating in cases with an attorney he had an ongoing financial relationship with.
Six Commission members voted for the censure, while four voted to remove the judge.
“He displayed especially poor judgment that day, we do not find that removal from judicial office is warranted for this single incident particularly since it occurred in the context of a longstanding dispute between the entire neighborhood,” the commission wrote.
The fight, which began following a dispute over a parking spot in front of the Grisanti home, was caught on a surveillance camera mounted on the neighbors’ home.
Before Buffalo police officers arrived, both the shirtless judge and his wife confronted their neighbors. The altercation with neighbors became physical.