Clare town justice resigns amid investigation

Aug. 15—RUSSELL — The state Commission on Judicial Conduct announced Monday that Jessica A. Matthews, Clare town justice, has resigned amid an investigation by the commission into allegations that she failed to file reports and remit funds to the state comptroller, as required by law.

The commission said in a statement that Ms. Matthews, also known as Jessica Barr, was made aware of the investigation in June 2021, but failed to respond to three commission inquiries into the matter. This past April, she testified before the commission about the allegations and her failure to respond and then submitted her resignation on May 24, with an effective date of June 1.

Because she had not responded, Ms. Matthews, who is not an attorney, had her judicial salary stopped on May 20, 2020, according to the commission.

With her resignation, Ms. Matthews has agreed to never seek or accept a judicial position in the future. The commission states that if she should evade this condition of her resignation and again hold a judicial position, the investigation into the allegations will be revived.

"Public confidence in the courts is shaken whenever a judge fails to account for court funds without a valid excuse," commission administrator Robert H. Tembeckjian said. "Failing to cooperate with the commission only compounds the misconduct."

Ms. Matthews had been town justice since 2017. Her present term was set to expire Dec. 23, 2023.