Bronx Surrogate Lee L. Holzman (See Profile) yesterday lost a motion to stay a disciplinary proceeding against him brought by the Commission on Judicial Conduct for allegedly allowing Michael Lippman, a former counsel to the Bronx public administrator, to collect $300,000 in excessive fees. Surrogate Holzman filed an Article 78 petition earlier this year seeking dismissal of the commission’s action without prejudice to refile after the resolution of a criminal case against Mr. Lippman pending in the Bronx.
Acting Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jaffe (See Profile), who is presiding over the Article 78 case, dismissed Mr. Holzman’s petition on Sept. 8, and the disciplinary proceeding began on Sept. 12. But Surrogate Holzman filed a renewed motion to stay with Justice Jaffe, who granted a temporary stay before eventually denying the renewed motion in early October. Justice Holzman then appealed to the Appellate Division, First Department. Justice Sheila Abdus-Salaam (See Profile) immediately issued a temporary stay until a full panel could consider the motion.
