Evelyn Nissirios — Extreme Ethics Violator Appointed to an Ethics Committee
Like Child Predators Drawn to School Positions, or Criminals Drawn to Judicial Roles, Extreme Ethics Violators are Drawn to Memberships on Ethics Committees
Extreme ethics violators such as Evelyn Nissirios being appointed to positions on ethics committees brings question to their actual role and undermines the credibility of attorney ethics committees everywhere. At a time when investigative reporting across the country has found too many legal oversight agencies to be nothing more than colleagues covering for colleagues, Nissirios’ appointment is particularly disturbing. Her motives are clear, since she is all these rolled into one: child predator, criminal, and ethics violator.
But what are the motivations of the committee? Nissirios received at least four ethics complaints by five individuals in just months leading up to her appointment (these are only the ones known to me; for comparison, medical professionals, too, are subject to their own ethics code, and I have spent a twenty-five-year career without a single complaint). The sheer number of complaints should have given the Ethics Committee pause — especially since she cleared none, as the Committee did not investigate — but to appoint such a person to serve on the Committee raises questions about the Committee’s own selection criteria.
The dismissal of complaints without an investigation is also interesting, since the Office of Attorney Ethics clearly states:
If the facts of the case reveal a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct, the case will be investigated.
Reasons the case might not be accepted:
· If the facts of the case do not constitute unethical conduct, even if proven. For example, if the facts of the case show that the lawyer simply has been rude or did not pay a bill on time, the secretary will not docket the case.
· Substantial fee disputes will not be investigated by the district ethics committees. Fee disputes should be addressed through the Fee Arbitration Program.
· If the case involves pending civil or criminal litigation filed against the attorney, the secretary will not docket the case.
Yet, all of the above complaints against Nissirios each alleged multiple violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct, and none of them met the exclusion criteria. Instead:
· The facts of each case constituted highly injurious, egregious, and extremely unethical conduct.
· The complaints had nothing to do with fee disputes.
· There were no pending civil or criminal litigation at the time of these complaints.
None of the reasons given for dismissing the above complaints were listed on the web site.
A Family Court litigant recently submitted the following letter regarding her concerns about Evelyn Nissirios’ appointment. Revelations of dishonesty and sadism are astonishing. The Ethics Committee dismissed the letter in a derogatory manner, with a condescending tone — which in itself is revealing to a psychiatrist. Jason Saunders, first assistant ethics counsel of the Ethics Committee, repeated, without explanation, some version of: “We will not be taking any action with regard to your submission. Please be guided accordingly.” Nevertheless, the following litigant’s letter with clear ethics violations will be noteworthy for the public:
Dear Ethics Committee Chair,
I am writing to express my deep concerns about the recent appointment of Evelyn Nissirios to the Ethics Committee. My surprise stems from her well-documented inappropriate and unethical behavior within her community, which I believe merits careful consideration.
The attached article:
sheds light on her controversial return to the School Board, despite losing an election and resisting community demands for resignation. Additionally, she stirred controversy by orchestrating the cancellation of a school bus line, while conveniently excluding her own neighborhood. A recorded protest from community members further emphasizes the gravity of the situation:
https://youtu.be/2cAUXX5zqz4?si=U_ckOFn-Fs0zB6I1
Beyond these community matters, I am personally affected by Ms. Nissirios’ unethical conduct in the courtroom, as outlined in the attached sworn statement to the police, under prosecutor guidance. Her extensive fabrications and perjury, totaling almost three hundred (300) times, have led to the painful severance of my relationship with my children. They are now under the custody of an individual with a violent history, exposing them to severe danger.
Ms. Nissirios’ involvement in orchestrating the abduction of my children through false police reports, coupled with her psychological manipulation, claiming my abandonment, has exacerbated their suffering. Medical professionals unanimously characterized her behavior as “alarming” and “dangerous,” contributing to a notable decline in my children’s health and academic performance during her three-and-a-half-year tenure as their “guardian ad litem.”
She should not remain on an ethics committee but be subject to ethics committee sanctions for her continuous lying and collusion in child abuse.
To my knowledge, these vital committees are established to uphold the credibility of the courts through the implementation of checks and balances. I trust that this Committee has diligently conducted a comprehensive background check on Evelyn Nissirios and thoroughly assessed her contributions to the community. Her actions within the community suggest anything but ethical behavior.
Would the citizens of Bergen County agree with and respect this Committee’s decision? Ultimately, the test of ethical behavior is not what Ms. Nissirios says of herself, but how the community experiences her conduct. And her words do not match her actions. Why take the risk of tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of the Committee by having such a person of questionable character as a member? I implore the Ethics Committee to reevaluate Ms. Nissirios’ appointment, considering the severity of her actions and potential violations of ethical standards. I am prepared to provide additional evidence as required.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
[Name Redacted]
*This is the sixth of weekly articles devoted to the information I have been asked to provide the Saddle River community about a controversial member on its School Board. Initially, I planned a very short series, but the information keeps coming! The said source of controversy is also a central figure in the upcoming book, Judicial Violence: Anatomy of a Family Court Case. Those who have additional information to share can reach me here. Thank you!
