Supreme Court reprimands judge who failed to purchase liability insurance, maintain proper accounts

The New Jersey Supreme Court issued a public reprimand to a Vineland municipal court judge who admitted to failing purchase liability insurance and to properly maintain accounts holding funds on behalf of clients.

Between Oct. 17, 2017, and March 29, 2018, Guy Killen’s name was on a list of attorneys deemed ineligible to practice law for failing to maintain interest-bearing accounts into which all money received on behalf of clients must be deposited under state law.

The municipal judge admitted to the violations after the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct filed a complaint against him.

Superior Court Judge Benjamin Telsey briefly suspended Killen from his judicial duties between May 14, 2018, June 5 of the same year.

In admitting the violations, Killen said mitigating circumstances—a familial death and a divorce that triggered mild depression—led him to avoid potentially negative communications.