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THE GEORGE SASSOWER, ESQ. LEGACY PROJECT --
Was he correct, on the facts & on the law?

UNDER CONSTRUCTION...EVOLVING...

 

Vilella v. Santagata/SDNY-White Plains (87 civ 1450) --
& CJA's June 4, 2026 Affidavit in Support of Disqualification/Disclosure
in its federal lawsuit vs the press

 

CJA's June 4, 2026 Affidavit for Disqualification/Disclosure
"Pursuant to 28 USC §§144, 455"

Reconstructing the Record, consistent with
Legal Autopsies: Assessing the Performance of Judges and Lawyers
Through the Window of Leading Contract Cases
”,
73 Albany Law Review 1 (2009, Professor Gerald Caplan),
“…Performance assessment cannot occur without close examination of the trial record,
briefs, oral argument and the like…’ (p. 53).

 

1.
The SOLE record, in paper form, that CJA had --
March 4, 1987 verified petition

2.
Records obtained at the Clerk's Office, June 4, 2026

DOCKET   payment

ENTIRE CONTENT OF THE COURT's FILE  payment

(1) 
June 19, 2012 notice from pro se office


(2)
August 13, 2012 letter from NY AG,
so-ordered by Karas on August 21, 2012


(3)
Karas' September 7, 2012 Order


(4)
September 17, 2012 notice from Clerk's Office to Karas,
with his September 17, 2012 response   


3.
Cited by AG's Aug 13, 2012 letter & Karas' September 7, 2012 Order:

Sassower v. Abrams, 833 F. Supp. 253
Sept 8, 1993 Decision of SDNY Judge Leisure

4.
THE CITED-TO
Sept 8, 1993 Decision of Judge Leisure
in Sassower v. Abrams
, 833 F. Supp. 253

Here's an analysis, starting with the Background Section.

Judge Leisure's Sept 8, 1993 Decision states,
in its "BACKGROUND" section: 


"On January 20, 1984, Sassower and Raffe brought an action in the Eastern District of New York.... See Raffe v. Citibank, N.A., No. 84 Civ. 305 (E.D.N.Y.). On August 1, 1984, the Honorable Eugene H. Nickerson, United States District Judge, Eastern District of New York, dismissed the complaint on the grounds that (1) the claims against the private party defendants were barred by the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel, and (2) the claims against the state court judges and Robert Abrams were barred by the Eleventh Amendment and the doctrine of absolute immunity. In addition, Judge Nickerson found that Sassower had conducted the litigation in a vexatious manner and granted defendants' motion for sanctions. On January 23, 1985, the Second Circuit affirmed Judge Nickerson's decision without opinion. See Raffe v. Citibank, N.A., No. 84 Civ. 305 (E.D.N.Y. August 1, 1984), aff'd mem.,
 779 F.2d 37 (2d Cir.1985).
"  

Judge Nickerson's August 1, 1984 Memorandum & Order is UNPUBLISHED --
& its indefensibility was why, within ten days of its issuance, Sassower filed with the 2nd Circuit
an August 10, 1984 Mandamus Petition & Supporting Affirmation --
so-reflected by
Sassower's November 26, 1984 Appellants' Brief (84-7737) --
and why the 2nd Circuit's September 13, 1985 affirmance, is without opinion


(Here, too, is Sassower's December 31, 1984 Reply Brief)

See, additionally,
85-7251
Sassower's June 5, 1985 Appeal Brief  Appendix

AG's July 31, 1985 Respondents' Brief

85-7471
Sassower's July 8, 1985 Appeal Brief  &
Nickerson's appealed-from June 7, 1985 contempt order --

YET TO BE RECOVERED -- The 2nd Circuit's Docket & records of these three appeals --
& of Sassower's August 10, 1984 mandamus petition

NOTE:  Sassower's November 12, 1988 Notice -- & the press cc'd on the last page]

 

"Less than one month after the dismissal of the Eastern District action, Sassower and Raffe filed an action in the Southern District of New York which named, as defendants, many of the individuals who were the subject of the lawsuit in the Eastern District. The case was assigned to Judge Conner. See Raffe v. John Doe, 619 F. Supp. 891 (S.D.N.Y. 1985)....
During this same time frame, Sassower, Raffe, and Polur filed three additional actions in this Court which asserted the same claims contained in 
Raffe v. John Doe and named most of the same defendants. The cases were assigned to Judge Conner as related actions. See Puccini Clothes, Ltd. v. Murphy, No. 85 Civ. 3712 (WCC) (S.D.N.Y. filed May 16, 1985); Raffe v. Riccobono, No. 85 Civ. 3927 (WCC) (S.D.N.Y. filed May 23, 1985); Raffe v. Relkin, No. 85 Civ. 4158 (WCC) (S.D.N.Y. filed June 3, 1985)."

This is FALSE --
the "same time frame" was 9 months AFTER Sassower's
August 24, 1984 verified complaint
commencing Raffe v. Doe

Here are the verified complaints in the three related lawsuits assigned to Conner: 

Sassower's May 15, 1985 verified complaint in Puccini v. Murphy (SDNY -- 85 Civ 3712)

Sassower's May 23, 1985 verified complaint in Raffe v. Riccobono (SDNY - 85 Civ 3927)

Sassower's June 3, 1985 verified complaint in Raffe v. Relkin (SDNY-85 Civ 4158)

"On October 11, 1985, Judge Conner dismissed all four actions as being barred by the principles of res judicata and collateral estoppel. The Court stated:

"I have reviewed the complaint in this case and have compared it to the complaint file in Raffe v. Citibank, N.A.  On the basis of that review, I think it plain that the instant action is barred by the principles of res judicata and collateral estoppel set out above.  The complaint in this action does no more than rehash the allegations put before Judge Nickerson.  It is clear that Raffe and Sassower have merely attempted to revive issues that Judge Nickerson expressly held were without merit or barred by prior decisions in the state courts.  Raffe v. Doe, 619 F. Supp. at 896.

This is FALSE, revealled, inter alia, by comparison of
Sassower's August 24, 1984 verified complaint in Raffe v. Doe &
 January 20, 1984 verified complaint in Raffe v. Citibank -- which Judge Connor purports to have done, and as to which, as to the former, he stated,
"As best I can discern from the rambling and at times incomprehensible 73-page complaint...". 
T
his is further FALSE, as there is NOTHING difficult to discern and rambling about the 73-page complaint.


 "[Judge Conner] also awarded attorney's fees on the following grounds:

'[I]t is overwhelmingly clear that this suit is entirely without merit and that it has no basis in law or fact..."

This is FALSE --
and a simple reading of the August 24, 1984 verified complaint in Raffe v. Doe
makes this OBVIOUS.

"Finally Judge Conner issued an order permanently enjoining Sassower from bringing any further actions in federal court in connection with the Puccini dissolution or receivership. Id. at 898. The Second Circuit dismissed Sassower's subsequent appeal. See Nos. 85-7963, 7965, 7967, 7969 (2d Cir. March 18, 1986)."  

What was the basis upon which the 2nd Circuit dismissed these these four cited appeals?

 YET TO BE RECOVERED --
The March 18, 1986 dismissal order -- & record of Sassower's appeal
from Judge Conner's October 11, 1985 Decision

"In 1987, in flagrant violation of [Judge Conner's] injunction, Sassower filed another lawsuit in this District naming the same defendants, as well as adding Judge Conner and the judge who presided over Sassower's bankruptcy proceeding, the Honorable Howard Schwartzberg, as defendants. See United States for the Benefit of George Sassower v. Sapir, No. 87 Civ. 7135, 1987 WL 26596 (S.D.N.Y.1987). The case was originally assigned to the Honorable Charles S. Haight, United States District Judge, Southern District of New York, but after Judge Haight also was named as a defendant in the lawsuit, Judge Brieant took the case on reassignment.
On December 10, 1987, Judge Brieant dismissed the action on the grounds that Sassower's claims were frivolous and that Sassower had intentionally violated the 1985 injunction issued by Judge Conner."   

This FALSE --
Judge Haight was assigned to Sassower's October 5, 1987 complaint in US for the Benefit of George Sassower v. Sapir -- and, as reflected by the docket, remained assigned to the case, following Sassower's December 2, 1987 amended verified complaint, which added Judge Conner as a defendant, NOT him.

YET TO BE RECOVERED --
Record, including Chief Judge Brieant's UNPUBLISHED December 10, 1987 dismissal and injunction. 

"Judge Brieant prohibited Sassower from filing any actions in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York without prior leave of court. Id. at 3 ('Sapir order'). This order applies to 'any actions' and, thus, expanded the injunction issued by Judge Conner in Raffe v. Doe which applied to the 'Puccini related' submissions.
This pattern of frivolous and vexatious litigation resulted in Sassower's disbarment from practice in New York courts. See In re Sassower,700 F. Supp. 100, 104 (E.D.N.Y. 1988), aff'd, 875 F.2d 856 (2d Cir.1989); Matter of Sassower, 125 A.D.2d 52, 53-54, 512 N.Y.S.2d 203 (2d Dep't), appeal dismissed, 70 N.Y.2d 691, 518 N.Y.S.2d 964, 512 N.E.2d 547 (1987); see also In re Disbarment of Sassower, 481 U.S. 1045, 107 S. Ct. 2174, 95 L. Ed. 2d 831 (1987). Moreover, in 1989, the Second Circuit dismissed the sixth appeal filed by Sassower in a one-year period and warned Sassower that, if Sassower's abuse of the judicial process continued, he would be barred from the Second Circuit. S
ee Sassower v. Sansverie, 885 F.2d 9, 11 (2d Cir. 1989)." 

 
Starting with t
he 2nd Circuit's September 15, 1989 per curiam decision in Sassower v. Sansverie, 885 F.2d 9
(Lombard, Cardamone, & Friedman (by designation)), it upheld
"an order of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Korman, J.) enforcing an injunction requiring appellant George Sassower, pro se, to obtain approval of United States Magistrate Ross prior to filing suit in the Eastern District Court Clerk's office", without addressing, at all, 
Sassower's May 6, 1988 verified complaint in Sassower v. Sansverie (88-Civ-1423)
& his March 22, 1989 Appeal Brief which, inter alia, exposed the fraud of the 2nd Circuit's July 15, 1987 decision in Sassower v. Sheriff of Westchester, 824 F.2d 184.

Here's Sassower's March 30, 1987 Appellee Brief in Sassower v. Sheriff of Westchester (86-2458)
& also Sassower's April 5, 1987 memorandum

YET TO BE RECOVERED --
Judge Korman's UNPUBLISHED December 7, 1988 order therein enforcing injunction -- & record of Sassower v. Sansverie, materially recited by Sassower's March 22, 1989 Appeal Brief

* * *

The introductory paragraphs of Judge Leisure's Sept 8, 1993 Decision
included:

"...In 1985, after Sassower brought four separate actions attempting to relitigate the Puccini dissolution, the Honorable William C. Conner, United States District Judge of this Court, dismissed the actions under the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel, awarded fees to the defendants, and issued an order permanently enjoining him from bringing any further actions in any federal court relating to the Puccini dissolution or receivership. See Raffe v. John Doe, 619 F. Supp. 891 (S.D.N.Y.1985)"

"In direct violation of the injunction, Sassower filed another lawsuit in this District naming the same defendants and adding Judge Conner to the complaint. The Honorable Charles Brieant, then Chief Judge of this Court, dismissed the action as frivolous and entered another injunction prohibiting Sassower from filing "any actions" in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York without prior leave of Court. See United States for the Benefit of George Sassower v. Sapir, 87 Civ. 7135 (CSH) (S.D.N.Y.) December 10, 1987) (Exhibit 23)fn1.  In addition, in July 1989, after Sassower continued to submit voluminous papers to the Clerk's Office in White Plains for filing, Judge Brieant orally directed the United States Marshal in the White Plains Courthouse to refuse Sassower access to the Courthouse unless he had a legitimate purpose for entering." 

"In an attempt to evade these injunctions, Sassower instituted the instant action by filing five separate lawsuits, relating to the Puccini dissolution and subsequent litigation arising therefrom, in New York State Supreme Court naming, inter alia, numerous federal and state judges and officials. The federal judges and officials (the 'federal defendants') removed these actions to this Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1441(a) and (b), and §1442(a) (3). On February 4, 1993, this Court consolidated the above referenced actions pursuant to Rule 42(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure."

 

These five separate lawsuits removed from NYS court on January 20, 1993 --
all dismissed by Judge Leisure's September 8, 1993 Decision -- are:

Sassower v. Abrams, 92 Civ. 8515 (PKL)
November 12, 1992 amended complaint

Sassower v. Mead Data Central, 92 Civ. 9220 (PKL)
November 16, 1992 complaint

Sassower v. Feltman, Karesh, Major & Farbman, 92 Civ. 9221 (PKL)
November 12, 1992 complaint - Westchester Supreme Court

Sassower v. Brieant, 93 Civ. 343 (PKL)
(no complaint filed), dismissed for failure to prosecute

Sassower v. McFadden, 93 Civ. 342 (PKL)
(no complaint filed), dismissed for failure to prosecute


Here's what Judge Leisure's Sept 8, 1993 Decision states,
in its section entitled "
SASSOWER's MOTIONS"

...Sassower has moved for a 'general bias recusal, or alternatively a personal bias recusal.' ...
The Court does not believe that there is any basis for recusal in the instant actions. The basis of Sassower's recusal motion appears to be the Court's Opinion and Order, dated February 10, 1993, which denied his motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction seeking to enjoin court personnel at the United States Courthouse in White Plains from carrying out the order of Judge Brieant requiring security personnel to bar Sassower from entering the Courthouse except for legitimate purposes. The Court emphasizes that '[a]dverse rulings alone do not amount to a claim of personal bias or prejudice as outlined in [28 U.S.C. §144].' Martin-Trigona v. Shiff, 600 F. Supp. 1184, 1187 (D.D.C.1984). Thus, '[d]isagreement with a court's rulings in an action cannot serve as a basis for recusal.' Id. The Court is aware of no grounds for recusal in the instant actions and, thus, Sassower's motion is denied in its entirety. .."


[Here's Judge Leisure's referred-to February 10, 1993 Opinion & Order --
materially rebutted by Sassower's February 1, 1993 affirmation, stating, inter alia,
"3a(1) The documented fact is that since the White Plains Branch opened, more than 10 years ago,
until the Brieant physical exclusion edict of July 1989, affirmant had only one (1) case in the U.S. District Court
in White Plains, -- only one -- which case was active from March to the beginning of July of 1987
(Vilella v. Santagata, 87 Civ. 140 [GLG])."
see, additionally, paras 8(b), 9, 13a.


RECOVERED?
the referred-to recusal motion
of George Sassower --

Sassower's February 22, 1993 recusal affirmation

Sassower's September 10, 1993 supplemental recusal affirmation


-----------------

UNDER CONSTRUCTION --

Cited-to

1.
Appellate Division, First Dept's September 17, 1985 affirmance, without opinion,
in Raffe v. Feltman, Karesh & Major, 113 A.D.2d 1038,
the appeal from which, by a November 21, 1985 order,
the NY Court of Appeals dismissed, without opinion, 66 N.Y.2d 914

NEED appealed-from unidentified Order, Record on Appeal, & Briefs, etc.

2.
July 1, 1985 slip opinion in Raffe v. Riccobono, #9522/85 (criminal contempt conviction) -- which, on September 17, 1985, the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed, without opinion, 113 A.D.2d 1038, the appeal from which the NY Court of Appeals dismissed on its boilerplate "  , 66 N.Y.2d 915, and which the U.S. Supreme Court denied cert, without opinion, 480 U.S. 932 (1987)

Need appealed-from July 1, 1985 slip opinion, Record on Appeal, & Briefs, etc.


3.
Four orders of NY Supreme Court in In re Barr (#10816/80) --
January 23, 1985, March 11, 1986, March 1987, September 2, 1988
(Exhibits 24, 25, 26, 27 of federal defendants' March 24, 1993 motion to dismiss)

January 23, 1985 (January 23, 1985), March 11, 1986, March 1987, September 2, 1988

NO APPEALS IDENTIFIED --
and it is utterly impossible to believe they were not appealed!!

4.
June 24, 1986 decision of the Appellate Division, 1st Dept in In re Barr, 121 A.D.2d 324 (Kupferman, Fein, Lynch, Milonas, Ellerin) "...Accordingly we have directed that [Sassower] be incarcerated for thirty days...", the appeal of right from which the NY Court of Appeals dismissed ", 8 N.Y.2d 807, 506 N.Y.S.2d 1037, 498 N.E.2d 437 (1986).

NEED Record on Appeal

 

5.
Judge Glasser's November 4, 1988 decision in In re Sassower, 700 F. Supp. 100,
affirmed April 12, 1989, without opinion, by the 2nd Circuit, 875 F.2d 856 

Need Record on Appeal, Briefs, etc.

 

6.
The February 23, 1987 disbarment Order of the Appellate Division, 2nd Dept,
 Matter of Sassower, 125 A.D.2d 52 -- as to which The NY Court of Appeals
dismissed Sassower's appeal of right,
70 N.Y.2d 691,

In re Disbarment of Sassower, 481 U.S. 1045,  (1987). ...

------------


 

 

para 40(c):
"While in that trial part, judicial records were physically changed and altered by one jurist, Appellate Division orders ignored or overruled (see
Barr v. Raffe, 96 A.D.2d 800, 466 N.Y.S.2d 340 [1st Dept.]), orders not rendered on submitted motions, motion not referred to the appropriate jurist, resulting in a number of Article 78 proceedings in the Appellate Division against the two jurists involved in that trial assignment part by the plaintiff."

para 41(a): 
"On November 7, 1983, four (4) days after Barr v. Raffe (97 A.D.2d 696, 468 N.Y.S.2d 332 [1st Dept.]), for the first time since June 4, 1980, a limited disclosure of Puccini's financial records was permitted to plaintiff, and within a few minutes it was clearly obvious that a massive unlawful dissipation of Puccini's judicially entrusted funds had taken place, far beyond plaintiff's wildest imagination or prior assertions"

 

---------------------------------

 

 

 

 

* * *

Vilella v. Santaga record --
2nd Circuit's January 29, 1988 decision (Oakes, Newman, Miner)
found June 7, 2026

 

 

-----------

State of New York District Attorney Investigators Policebenevolent Association, Inc, 711 F.2d 8 (2d Cir. 1983)


 

 

 

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