Surrogate Judge Lee Holzman testifies he was ‘shocked’ that pals were ripping off estates

Surrogate Judge Lee Holzman testifies he was ‘shocked’ that pals were ripping off estates

Bronx jurist in ethics hearing for lax supervision of accused lawyer Michael Lippman and ex-Public Administrator Esther Rodriguez

By Melissa Grace / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, January 10 2012, 9:38 PM


Marc A. Hermann for New York Daily News

Bronx Surrogate Court Judge Lee Holzman at Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday. He faces removal or reprimand in ethics case before the state Commission on Judicial Conduct.

BRONX SURROGATE Judge Lee Holzman testified Tuesday he was “shocked” to learn pals who worked under him were plundering the estates of people who died without wills.

In an unusual public airing of an ethics hearing against a sitting judge, Holzman, who took the rare step of waiving confidentiality, said he had been unaware of any impropriety by lawyer Michael Lippman or former Public Administrator Esther Rodriguez.

“A perfect storm had been created,” said the judge, who has served since 1988.

He testified the duo operated behind his back when they dipped into funds belonging to different estates. He said he found out in 2006 that they had ignored payment guidelines.

“ I was shocked when I learned that apparently Mrs. Rodriguez, at the request of Mr. Lippman, had deviated from that protocol,” Holzman said.

Holzman, 69, faces removal or reprimand if the state Commission on Judicial Conduct determines he failed to properly supervise them.

The case was brought in September, two years after the Daily News exposed Holzman’ s lax oversight of estates and the hefty fees the judge had approved for Lippman, his chief campaign fund-raiser.

The civil proceeding is being heard by retired Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Felice Shea.

Between 1995 and 2009, Holzman repeatedly approved fees for Lippman without documenting his work and allowed estate cases to languish for up to 10 years, the agency says.

The lawyer collected “advances” on his estate work at a time when he faced daunting debts, including $1 million in gambling losses.

Lippman and Rodriguez both face criminal charges in the case.

Investigators say Holzman discovered the wrongdoing but failed to report them and quietly tried to work out a repayment schedule with his pal

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http://www.nydailynews.com/news/surrogate-judge-lee-holzman-testifies-shocked-pals-ripping-estates-article-1.1004272

Editor's note: Your ProbateShark would be surprised if the crooked, corrupt judges in the Probate Court of Cook County could keep straight faces when saying, "We were shocked..." Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster, ProbateSharks.com