Clark Municipal Court Judge Antonio Inacio is being accused of representing municipal employees who could potentially appear before him in his private law practice, according to a complaint filed by the New Jersey Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct.
Inacio, who has served as Clark’s part-time judge since 1994, allegedly represented four local police officers on personnel matters while ruling on over 130 tickets issued by those police officers.
He also allegedly enjoyed a close personal friendship with Clark Code Enforcement Officer Michael Khoda, his alleged “drinking buddy” and law firm client, while adjudicating summonses issued by Khoda.
“Through his prior professional affiliations with the law enforcement officers and personal friendship and professional relationship with the Clark Township code enforcement officer, (Inacio) acted in a manner that cast reasonable doubt on (Inacio’s) capacity to act impartially as a judge,” the complaint charged. “By disposing of tickets issued by the Clark Township’s police officers and code enforcement officer whom (Inacio) represented in his personal capacity as a private attorney, (Inacio) engaged in a conflict of interest or minimally created the appearance of partiality.”
He’s accused of “failure to conform his conduct to the high standards of conduct expected of judges and impugned the integrity of the Judiciary.”
In one instance, Inacio allegedly “engaged inappropriately with a defendant.” He’s accused of referencing a defendant’s “perceived shortcomings, i.e. no job, no rent, no car,” something the complaint claims “was discourteous and could reasonably be understood as Respondent mocking an individual experiencing some unfortunate circumstances.”
Inacio’s “gratuitous questioning of the defendant concerning his relationship status, impugned the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the Judiciary.”
Transcripts show the following exchange:
INACIO: Mr. Fowler. Mr. Fowler.
DEFENDANT: Yeah.
INACIO: Who is that nice lady that’s with you?
DEFENDANT: Girlfriend.
INACIO: Well, she must love you. Let me get this straight. Let me get this straight. No job. No rent. No car. No, zero, nothing. Where do I find one? Please tell me. Where do I find it? I’m single, I want to find that.
DEFENDANT: I got a car.
INACIO: Well, let me ask you something. When you worked, what did you do?
DEFENDANT: I do tattoos.
INACIO: Well, you got to be busy, because that’s all I see is people with tattoos. Well, wait a minute. Can I ask you something? girlfriend’s name? What’s your
DEFENDANT: What’s my middle name?
INACIO: No, what is your girlfriend’s name?
DEFENDANT: Alejandra.
Inacio is also charged with “dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation” for allegedly signing an order in a matrimonial matter without the authorization of a client of his law firm, and he falsely witnessed the signature. In a 2023 lawsuit, Inacio reportedly admitted guilt and acknowledged that he failed to properly report the offense.
The complaint also claims that Inacio sometimes served as a court translator for Spanish-speaking defendants and witnesses, something that violates a directive by Glenn Grant, the acting director of the Administrative Office of the Courts.