WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas judge denied a request from an attorney to step aside from presiding over an upcoming jury trial for a Pittston man facing misdemeanor and summary domestic violence offenses.
Attorney Nanda Palissery of the Palissery Law Offices in Kingston filed a motion for recusal Monday seeking to have Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. remove himself from presiding over the trial of William Lou Campenni Jr.
Palissery filed the recusal motion based on a misconduct complaint Sklarosky filed against him with the Disciplinary Board of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Sklarosky on Tuesday denied the motion.
According to the recusal motion, Palissery claims he learned in April 2026 that Sklarosky had filed a misconduct complaint against him with the Disciplinary Board in March 2026. The complaint was dismissed without any action in August 2026.
Palissery wrote in his motion he has been an attorney in “good standing” since being admitted to the bar in November 1994, and has never been disciplined by the Disciplinary Board. A review of the Disciplinary Board’s website showed no infractions or suspensions for Palissery since being admitted to the bar more than 31 years ago.
Complaints filed with the Disciplinary Board regarding attorneys and complaints filed against judges with the Supreme Court’s Judicial Conduct Board are confidential unless some type of infraction or suspension is imposed.
When reached for more information on Tuesday, Palissery said he does not comment on pending cases.
In his motion, Palissery alleges the misconduct complaint filed by Sklarosky against him “clearly reflects the trial judge’s opinion that (Palissery) committed a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct governing all Pennsylvania lawyers and that (Palissery) acted unethically” noting Sklarosky may question Palissery’s honesty, trustworthiness and fitness as a lawyer.
Palissery wrote in his motion seeking another judge for Campenni’s trial that the misconduct complaint, despite being dismissed by the Disciplinary Board, may interfere with Sklarosky’s “impartiality in deciding close matters of importance in Campenni’s trial.”
Campenni, 70, was charged by Pittston city police with a misdemeanor simple assault and a summary harassment offense after an argument with his wife about purchasing groceries on Feb. 5. She claimed Campenni struck her during the argument resulting in an injury to her right eye, according to court records.
Campenni is scheduled for trial Sept. 14.
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