State: Ex-LI judge acted inappropriately toward cop

A former Nassau traffic court judge has been barred from practicing law for three years after he phoned a woman at home while she had a case in his Garden City court several years ago and admitted that he wanted to get to know her better.

Traffic Violations Bureau Administrative Law Judge Michael Dorsky, 60, who has a law office in Roslyn, acted inappropriately when he called the woman, a New York City police officer, both before and after a hearing on allegations that she was driving an uninsured car when she had a traffic accident in 2004, according to a decision by the state's Appellate Division, Second Department.

In court, the woman provided a notarized letter saying that she did not know about the accident and that her car had been parked at her home at the time, the appeals court's ruling says.

Before Dorsky issued a decision in the matter, he called the woman's home several times, speaking to her personally and leaving messages. He later acknowledged that she was a person he "would like to get to know better," according to court papers.

In a decision dated April 7, 2004, Dorsky found in favor of the woman and ordered the Department of Motor Vehicles to remove the accident from her driving record, court papers say.

About two weeks later, he phoned the woman again, acknowledging that he was attracted to her but saying that he didn't want to pressure her or make her feel that she owed him anything, the appeals court's decision says. He added, "Frankly I wasn't even sure that you were not guilty . . . but that's neither here nor there."

In July, Dorsky lied in an interview with the state Office of the Inspector General, saying he had never spoken to the woman outside court, court papers say.

Dorsky's lawyer, Chris McDonough, of Westbury, did not return calls Wednesday seeking comment.

Dorsky asked the Grievance Committee to consider his lack of a prior disciplinary record, his remorse and the high price he already had paid for his indiscretion, the decision says.

Matthew Kiernan, chief clerk for the New York State Grievance Committee, Tenth District, which brought the complaint against Dorsky, did not comment.

A state Department of Motor Vehicles spokesman said Dorsky retired from his judgeship in 2004.