Judge Suspended for Ethical Violations Tied to Facebook Activity

Point Pleasant Beach Municipal Court Judge Robert M. LePore ordered off the bench for two months without pay due to inappropriate social media conduct and partisan affiliations

The New Jersey Supreme Court has suspended Robert M. LePore, a municipal court judge in Point Pleasant Beach, for two months without pay following findings that his personal Facebook activity violated the state's Code of Judicial Conduct. The court’s order, issued on June 3, 2025, stems from a formal complaint by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct (ACJC) that charged LePore with multiple breaches of judicial ethics.

The disciplinary action centers on Judge LePore’s public use of Facebook, where he engaged in behavior deemed inconsistent with the impartiality required of judges. According to the ACJC’s complaint, LePore expressed support for law enforcement and partisan political causes through posts, reposts, likes, and affiliations on his Facebook profile. His activity included support for groups such as “Blue Lives Matter,” political campaign pages, and a range of law enforcement and private business entities. The complaint asserted that such conduct created the appearance of bias and could undermine public confidence in the judiciary.

Despite being advised by the ACJC to remove this content and assuring the committee that he had done so, LePore reportedly failed to eliminate all of the flagged affiliations and posts. The ACJC charged that this misrepresentation further violated judicial standards, contributing to the seriousness of the misconduct.

The formal complaint included four counts, encompassing:

• Demonstrated or apparent bias toward law enforcement;

• Engagement with partisan political content;

• Public affiliations with private businesses and legal professionals, potentially perceived as judicial endorsements;

• Failure to act on prior warnings from the oversight body, and misrepresenting his compliance.

The Supreme Court of New Jersey concurred with the ACJC’s findings, citing violations of multiple canons of the state’s judicial code, including rules requiring judges to avoid political involvement, maintain impartiality, and uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary.

As part of the penalty, the court also mandated that Judge LePore complete a minimum of four hours of in-person professional development, focusing on systemic, actual, and implicit bias. This training must be completed at his own expense and approved by the ACJC before he may return to judicial duties. Proof of completion must be submitted to his Assignment Judge.

Judge LePore, admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1984, has served multiple terms as a part-time municipal court judge in Point Pleasant Beach, with appointments beginning in 2016 and resuming in 2020. His current status will remain inactive for the duration of the court-imposed suspension, effective June 4, 2025.