The Court of Judicial Discipline has denied Montgomery County Magisterial District Judge William Maruszczak’s request to be placed in a little-used judicial diversion program in lieu of more serious discipline for charges that he confronted and threatened supporters of his political rivals and failed to recuse from a friend’s cases.

Maruszczak’s denial followed closely on the heels of Washington County Magisterial District Judge Mark A. Wilson’s admission to what is known as the Interim Judicial Diversionary Program on March 16. Wilson, who had been accused of showing bias in a private criminal case and hiking bail in several cases, became only the second judge ever admitted to the program, which was established in 2015. The first was Erie County Court of Common Pleas Judge Stephanie Domitrovich, who was accused by the state Judicial Conduct Board of engaging in ex parte communications, as well as “unpleasant treatment of those appearing before her,” members of her staff and county employees.