Orange County Judge Resigns Over Misconduct Charges

GOSHEN, NY — An Orange County Court judge is leaving office after misconduct charges were brought against him.

Judge William L. DeProspo was charged in July 2022 with a formal written complaint that said he was disrespectful, disparaging, sarcastic and otherwise discourteous to petitioners while he presided over five separate Family Court matters.

He was accused of asking someone, “What kind of kook are you?” and belittling the woman’s concern about missing school in order to be in court.

The complaint also claimed DeProspo said “everything that you told me was bull****” and told the petitioner to “get your a** out of bed and get here at 9:00 in the morning” or her petition would be dismissed and she could “ask the director [of your school] to protect you.”

He was also said to have asked a petitioner “So, three weeks before you found out that he had another honey on the side, were you afraid of him? … Oh, you were? Well, then what were you with him for then?”

DeProspo, who has served as a judge of the Orange County Court since 2018, agreed he would leave office to resolve the misconduct charges brought against him by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

He also agreed never to seek or accept judicial office in the future. His current term would have expired Dec. 31, 2027.

Commission Administrator Robert H. Tembeckjian said judges are obliged to be patient, dignified and courteous toward those with whom they deal in an official capacity.

“This is especially important in Family Court, which can be volatile enough without the judge making matters worse by insulting or demeaning the litigants,” he said.

DeProspo waived the statutory provision of confidentiality which is applicable to commission proceedings, accepting that it would be made public.