Ellicott Town Justice Sally Jaroszynski had two charges of Misconduct in Relation to Petitions under New York State Election Law dismissed Feb. 14.

Criminal charges against Ellicott Town Court Judge Sally Jaroszynski have been dropped by prosecutors.

Charges were filed in the days leading up to the November election for Chautauqua County Family Court Judge when Jaroszynski and Peter Johnson were both running for the position vacated by Jeff Piazza, who chose not to run for re-election.

Jaroszynski, who ran on the Working Families Party line, was accused of signing and notarizing a designating petition for the Conservative Party for the Chautauqua County Family Court judge, by acknowledging she witnessed a signature when she was not present. Jaroszynski was charged in October with two counts of misconduct in relation to petitions under New York State Election Law.

All charges against Jaroszynski have been dropped, according to her attorney, John Schober of Dunkirk.

“In this case – justice was served,” Schober said.

Jaroszynski was alleged to have violated New York state election laws in March 2024. Citing a conflict of interest, Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt had the case transferred to the Hamburg Town Court in Erie County. The first hearing took place Dec. 17, 2024. Gary Ertel, Erie County District Attorney bureau chief of special investigations, moved to dismiss one of the two original counts of misconduct from the onset of the hearing, sighting “weak” charges, said Schober. At a second court hearing on Feb. 14, Ertel, again, moved to dismiss the second charge, again citing weak and faulty charges.

“This should have never found its way into a courtroom,” Schober said. “The timing of the filing of the charges on the eve of the election is very suspicious. Sally Jaroszynski is a person of reputable character and this was nothing more than a smear campaign initiated against a public servant and innocent person.”

While Jaroszynski has been exonerated in a court of law, her attorney feels very sorry for what she had to endure to clear her name.

“It’s too bad Sally went through this,” he said. “Justice was served, but she had to endure financial hardships, ride an emotional roller coaster and her family was attacked personally, as well as a smear campaign in the court of public opinion, namely social media.”

When Schober was asked if his client would seek legal remedies for what she had to endure he said, “I’m not at liberty to say.”