Nassau County District Judge William Alan Hohauser, accused of making offensive comments, agrees to resign, court officials say

A Nassau County judge accused of making offensive and inappropriate comments to prosecutors and court staff — despite a previous warning — has agreed to resign at the end of the year.

District Judge William Alan Hohauser was served with a formal written complaint on March 13 that alleged he had made numerous inappropriate comments to Nassau County assistant district attorneys and a court employee between February 2023 and May 2024, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct said in a news release on Monday. The nature of those comments was not included in the release.

Hohauser had been warned about his conduct in May 2022, the commission said, after he allegedly made inappropriate comments to attorneys.

"Judges are obliged to be patient, dignified and courteous toward all with whom they deal in their official capacity," commission administrator Robert H. Tembeckjian said in a statement. "That Judge Hohauser did so despite a prior warning is disappointing and warrants his departure from the bench."

Hohauser did not reply to requests for comment. 

Seth Agata, his attorney, said on Tuesday the judge cooperated with the commission.

"Hon. William A. Hohauser, 66, a recognized and lauded public servant will retire from the Nassau County District Court bench at the end of 2025," said Agata. "In his stipulation with the Commission on Judicial Conduct, he made no admissions, nor did the commission make any fact finding of wrongdoing."

Hohauser, who became a judge in 2016, agreed to a stipulation that requires him to complete courses on civility and professionalism offered by the Office of Court Administration and agreed to step down by Dec. 31. Hohauser, whose term was scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2027, has already completed the course, officials said. Hohauser has also agreed not to accept any future judicial appointments.

According to the stipulation, the Office of Court Administration reassigned Hohauser from criminal court to a landlord-tenant court in December 2023. Both Hohauser and the Office of Court Adminstration recommended the judge remain in a landlord-tenant court for the remainder of his tenure.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said in a statement: "Judge Hohauser failed to uphold those standards in his dealing with my prosecutors, disparaging them with offensive and dismissive comments from the bench. Everyone should be treated with decency and respect in a courtroom, and I will always stand with the talented prosecutors in my office when they are met with unacceptable and unprofessional behavior in the workplace."

The Commission on Judicial Conduct has accepted 151 stipulations like the one signed by Hohauser and his attorney since the procedure was instituted in 2003, the statement said.

Since 1978, the commission has issued 289 determinations of admonition against judges in New York State, 356 determinations of censure and 185 determinations of removal.