City/Family Court Corruption in Jefferson County, NY

We Found Him! Judge James “Dweeby” Eby of Oswego Family Court

By: Leon Koziol

If you’re a regular follower of the parenting blog site, Leon Koziol.com, you probably recall seeing that cartoon judge we’ve posted from time to time, the one yelling down at some mom or dad, barking out orders on how we should raise our children. Some of you may have thought we were referring to my pedophile custody judge, Bryan Hedges, 20 NY3d 677.

Or maybe you thought it was federal judge, Gary “Not-So” Sharpe of New York’s Northern District who announced a gene for making judicial decisions, one that would not be discovered by scientists for “another fifty years,” United States v Cossey, 632 F.3d 82. His bizarre concoction earned him a removal order from a higher court. These characters have all been exposed in my recent full page ad series during a family judge election.

No, it turns out we finally found this guy. He is a family judge in Oswego, New York named James “Dweeby” Eby. The nickname connotes his spineless nature in line with his chief judge in Syracuse, James “Bond” Tormey who was successfully sued for $600,000 by his chief family court clerk for improperly directing her to conduct “political espionage,” Morin v Tormey, 626 F.3d 40.

Yeah, hard as these cases are to believe, you learn about them here. We don’t make things up at www.leonkoziol.com. It led me to offer an early release version of my book, Satan’s Docket, a real world look at the corruption which is growing in our nation’s divorce and family courts. You can get a copy at www.parentingrightsinstitute.com along with other valuable fee saving services.

We also use the term “dweeby” because it assists in the pronunciation of the last name. Dweeby Eby is the 37th judge assigned to my 12 year originally uncontested divorce after so many predecessors were removed for bias, corruption or other reasons. He simply took up where disqualified judge “Kangaroo” King left off by continuing to harass me using my daughters in retaliation for my judicial whistleblowing activities. I have been kept out of their lives for over 1,500 days, nearly four years!

I have never been found to be unfit as a parent, no report has ever been made, let alone investigated by child protection agents, and I have never been accused of any crime or alcohol related incident. All offense petitions including King’s gag order were thrown out after I sued him in New York Supreme Court. Meanwhile heroin addicts were being reunited with their offspring.

The “dweeb” was not about to clean up the mess. He was simply going to show “who’s boss” by continuing with this judicial retaliation agenda. So evil was he, instead of conducting a teleconference like his predecessor judges, he forced the parties to make a 180 mile round trip to a family courthouse at Lake Ontario for arguments on a decision he had already completed. Pure harassment! And you taxpayers paid for the judge-appointed child attorney, William “F. Lee Billy” Koslosky.

In my book, I detail how Eby had it in his mind to finish me off once and for all. Here is the relevant closing paragraph of my last Chapter 22 titled “King Eby” in Satan’s Docket:

Although my girls live only a few miles away, I will continue to be denied interactions with them due to these sick conditions. We are entitled to genuine family relationships under our human rights laws. Recalling the way King Eby stared me down on that dreary morning in Syracuse, I could only imagine what he wanted to say regarding my crusade for justice. He reminded me of Emperor Commodus in that movie staring down the Gladiator after so many thugs were slain in defiance of tyranny at the Roman Coliseum. This petty tyrant in a robe probably wanted to say:

“What am I to do with you? You just won’t die!”

Top 10 Corrupt Judges of America: A Real Life Horror Story

By: Leon Koziol

1. Family Judge James Eby

In first place is Oswego, New York Judge James Eby, new on the family bench who got in line with 35 previously disqualified trial judges in my 10 year originally uncontested divorce. He retaliated for my reform efforts and exposure of family court corruption (this website) before such entities as the Moreland Commision on Public Corruption. James "dweeby" Eby is the reason why its all but impossible for me to have a meaningful Thanksgiving Day with my daughters. Keep up the "good" Jim. Study those law books to protect this child abuse industry. I'm still standing and exposing the corruption.

"“Regardless, not one of these judges was elevated to higher office. This includes judge James Eby who no longer presides over my case in Oswego, New York. In the aftermath of his uncorrected bias, innocent third parties were irreparably harmed. During his bombastic antics directed at me, be gave no concern for extended family similarly denied all contact with my daughters. He simply pressed on with his ego-driven agenda of retaliation to maintain favor among colleagues on and off the bench.”

“To be sure, as director of the Parenting Rights Institute, I continue to receive complaints about him, one from a custodial mother regarding his knack for keeping the fees coming. He makes a mockery of this self-serving rationale of acting "in the best interests" of our children whose basic needs and college funds are raided. Entire families are bankrupted in the process while inciting domestic violence. An adversarial process rationalized by truth-seeking objectives cannot withstand the ultimate injury it yields when children are placed at needless risk compelling parents to resort to uncharacteristic extremes to protect them.”

--excerpt from "Satan's Docket" by: Leon Koziol

New Judges......Same Corruption

Judicial Complaint Regarding Judge Doheny

I am formally submitting a judicial complaint concerning Judge Doheny’s conduct in a recent matter. It appears that Judge Doheny signed an Order of Protection (OP) against me without legal basis or proper procedure. During a recent court proceeding—at which I was found not guilty—the District Attorney unexpectedly announced at the conclusion of the trial that an OP had been issued against me at the request of my ex-partner. This same individual had previously dropped the same order months prior.

No evidence, explanation, or justification for the issuance of this new OP was presented in court, nor has any been provided since. I contacted the city court for clarification, but received no substantive response from Chief Clerk Ben Cobb. While I have separate concerns regarding Mr. Cobb’s conduct and provision of inaccurate information—issues which I intend to address in a separate civil matter—this complaint is focused solely on Judge Mahoney’s actions.

I was told that the only reasoning for the new OP was an email the DA allegedly received from my ex-partner. If true, this is an alarming departure from proper legal standards, as hearsay or informal communication should not be grounds for the issuance of a court order—especially one as serious as an Order of Protection. I never signed or agreed to the order, yet I was informed it is currently active and bears Judge Doheny’s signature.

Given the long-standing concerns regarding judicial misconduct in this county, I find it deeply troubling that a newly appointed judge would authorize such an order without clear legal foundation.

Subject: Notice of Intent to File Civil Claim – Judicial Misconduct

To Whom It May Concern:

I am submitting this formal notice of my intent to file a civil claim for judicial misconduct against Jefferson County & Judge James Eby in connection with my involvement in Jefferson County Family Court proceedings from 2020 through 2024.

During this period, I documented numerous instances in which Judge Eby allegedly violated my constitutional rights, including actions taken without evidentiary support or valid legal justification. My motions for recusal were consistently denied, despite clear evidence of judicial bias. I also have the transcripts for some of these events.

Additionally, I allege that Judge Eby allowed circumstances that compromised the safety and privacy of my family, including possible violations of medical privacy rights protected under HIPAA. These prolonged actions have resulted in severe emotional distress and a professional diagnosis of CPTSD from Carthage Hospital.

I have also become aware of Judge Eby's prior criminal history related to the court system, dating back to approximately 2016, which further calls into question his qualifications and suitability to serve as a judge. The county’s decision to retain an individual with such a record is concerning and, in my view, negligent.

It is my belief that Judge Eby exhibited consistent partiality throughout the proceedings, creating an unfair advantage for the opposing party and undermining the integrity of the court. I intend to pursue all appropriate legal remedies to seek accountability and advocate for judicial reform within the Jefferson County Family Court system.

Sincerely,

John Palmer

AN OPEN SCROLL OF FURY: THE DECADE-LONG BETRAYAL

I am done being dragged through this corrupt, broken system that’s been screwing me over for years. In my personal experience, this judge has completely failed to give me the basic dignity of equal time with my own son, and I am absolutely enraged at how predictable it all is — the same father-crushing pattern this court has shown me again and again.

For almost a decade, I’ve watched this case crawl forward like some sick joke. I’ve watched every violation, every delay, every excuse pile up. And instead of actually looking at the long, ugly history of what I’ve been put through, this judge acts like none of it matters — like my son doesn’t matter — like I don’t matter.

I chose to represent myself because the lawyers I had before refused to expose the truth of what’s been happening in my case. And somehow, in this courtroom, that’s treated like a crime. I’m punished for not having an attorney, punished for standing up for myself, punished for refusing to play along with a system that’s been stacked against me from day one.

Meanwhile, the violations from my ex have been shown over and over — year after year — and nothing meaningful ever happens. No accountability. No real consequences. Just more of the same, while my son pays the price.

I’m furious on a level I can barely put into words, and I’m not backing down. I’ve already lived through one judge mishandling my case so badly that they were eventually removed — and if I have to push again, I will. I am not stopping. Not now, not ever. I will fight every ounce of this corruption, every barrier, every delay, every excuse this system throws at me.

My son deserves his father, and I’m going to keep pushing until the truth is impossible to ignore and the people blocking that bond are forced to face what they’ve done. I’m done being quiet. I’m done being patient. And I’m damn sure done letting corruption decide my son’s life.

The Price of Fatherhood: A Decade of Judicial and Administrative Warfare

For ten years, I have been fighting a war of attrition in the Jefferson County Family Court

system. What began as a simple request for fair, shared parenting of my son has unraveled into a

decade-long exposure of deep-seated corruption, administrative incompetence, and judicial

misconduct. To be a father in this county is to be forced into a "guilty until proven innocent"

trap, where the very people entrusted to uphold the law—judges and clerks—have instead

worked to obstruct it. My story is not just about a custody dispute; it is about surviving a system

that uses false arrests, "lost" documents, and removed judges to silence fathers and preserve an

imbalanced status quo.

1. Integrity of the Record and Administrative Obstruction

- Contradictory Records on Protection Orders: A critical discrepancy exists regarding a

protection order involving a court clerk. While the clerk’s office has officially stated no

such order exists, I possess a signed copy. This suggests either gross negligence in

record-keeping or the intentional suppression of documentation to protect court staff.

- "Lost" Appeals: On two separate occasions, appeal-related filings were submitted but

never docketed. These failures were only disclosed nearly a year later, after my repeated

inquiries. These "administrative errors" effectively stripped me of my right to due process

for years.

- Violation of No-Contact Protocols: A court clerk—who is the subject of an active

protection order—has reportedly continued to contact me directly via email, bypassing

formal legal channels to provoke or intimidate.

2. Judicial Misconduct: A Legacy of Removed Judges

- The Original Judge (Removed 2023): The first judge on this case, Dweeby, identified as a

primary source of early corruption and "procedural failure," was removed from the case

following allegations of bias and misconduct from myself given to the court but no reason was told.

- The Lawyer-Turned-Judge (Removed/DWI): My previous attorney, who "dragged

out" the case for two years during the height of the court's documented issues, later

became a judge himself. This individual has since been removed from the bench

following a recent DWI charge. The irony of him calling me a 'drunk' during a trial hits hard on this one.

- A Broken Cycle: The transition of a lawyer who facilitated delays into a judge who was

then removed for criminal conduct illustrates a systemic lack of accountability at the

highest levels.

3. Proven Innocence: Clearing My Name in City Court

Despite the court’s attempts to pressure me into "deals" or guilty pleas for crimes I did not

commit, I stood my ground to protect my 30-year reputation as a local business owner:

- Jury Trial Vindication: Facing false allegations from both an ex-partner and a court

clerk, I refused to settle. In City Court, I presented the evidence, and a jury of my peers

found me not guilty.

- All Charges Dropped: Following the jury’s verdict and the presentation of evidence

proving the allegations were fabricated, all related charges were dropped. This trial

proved that the "legal games" and arrests were based on false pretenses, yet these same

false claims were used in Family Court to restrict my parenting time for years.

4. The "Setup" Culture and False Allegations

- Weaponization of Protection Orders: Evidence shows a pattern of "setup" scenarios. In

one instance, I was arrested for communicating via an iPad—an action explicitly

instructed by the mother—only for those instructions to be used as evidence of a

violation.

- Retaliatory Harassment Claims: When I attempted to investigate why my filings were

being withheld, the Clerk’s Office allegedly accused me of "harassment" as a tactic to

stop my inquiry into their internal failures.

In closing, after ten years, two judges, a drunk attourney, a jury trial acquittal, and countless "lost"

documents, I am still standing. I have refused every "plea deal" offered to me because I refuse to

lie to make a corrupt system look functional. My name is clear in the eyes of a jury, but the

Family Court continues to ignore the facts in favor of a decade-old imbalance. I am documenting

this journey not just for my son, but for every father in Jefferson County who is currently being

told to "just take the deal." The system is broken, but the truth is not. We are demanding

accountability from the Clerk’s Office to the Judge’s chambers, and we will not stop until the

"legal games" end and the rights of fathers are respected.

John Palmer

January 2026