PRESS RELEASE
June 30, 2014

The Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission (IJEQC) for the First Judicial District, comprising New York County, has completed its review of some of the candidates for judicial vacancies in that District and have published the rating for those candidates.

The criteria for evaluation under Part 150 of the Rules of the Chief Administrative Judge include “professional ability, character, independence and integrity, reputation for fairness and lack of bias, and temperament, including courtesy and patience.” The guidelines and procedures for the Commissions, including the information to be provided by each candidate, are set forth in Appendix A to Part 150.

Each Commission consists of fifteen members, including attorneys and lay people, selected by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, the Presiding Justices of each Appellate Division, the State Bar Association and local bar associations, and represents a cross section of the community in each district. Two Commissions were established to review the qualifications of candidates for judicial offices in the First Department, one for the First Judicial District, comprising New York County, and another for the Twelfth Judicial District, comprising Bronx County.

The Administrative Board authorized the Commissions to rate candidates “Highly Qualified,” as well as “Qualified” or “Not Found Qualified.” Candidates who were found “Qualified” within the past three years were permitted to request reconsideration for a “Highly Qualified” rating.

This year, the IJEQC for the First Judicial District rated candidates seeking judicial offices in New York County as follows:

• Justice Tanya R. Kennedy-Justice of the Supreme Court-Highly Qualified
• Judge Sabrina E. Kraus-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York-Qualified

Last year, the IJEQC for the First Judicial District rated the candidate as follows:

• Justice Raymond L. Bruce-Justice of the Supreme Court-Highly Qualified

In 2012, the IJEQC rated candidates as follows:

• Justice Debra A. James-Justice of the Supreme Court-Highly Qualified
• Judge Rita Mella-Surrogate-Highly Qualified
• Rachel H. Nash, Esq.-Justice of the Supreme Court, Surrogate and Judge of the Civil Court-Not Found Qualified
• Judge Anil C. Singh - Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York - Highly Qualified; Justice of the Supreme Court - Qualified

Upon reconsideration, the Commission rated candidates seeking judicial offices in New York County as follows:

• Justice Arthur Engoron - Justice of the Supreme Court - Highly Qualified
• Justice Barbara Jaffe - Justice of the Supreme Court and Surrogate - Highly Qualified
• Justice Deborah Kaplan - Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York and Justice of the Supreme Court - Highly Qualified
• Justice Ruth Pickholz - Justice of the Supreme Court - Highly Qualified
• Justice Saliann Scarpulla - Justice of the Supreme Court - Highly Qualified
• Justice Analisa Torres - Justice of the Supreme Court - Highly Qualified

Candidates found “Highly Qualified” or “Qualified” for election to judicial office are deemed highly qualified or qualified for that office for three years in absence of any new information that may have negative effect of his or her qualifications and background, pursuant to Part 150, Appendix A, Section 3.

The members of the IJEQC for the First Judicial District are Peter Johnson, Jr., Chair, Leahey & Johnson, PC; Albert L. Barrueco, Esq., Pepper Hamilton; Martin Begun; Hon. Betty Weinberg Ellerin, Alston & Bird; Margaret J. Finerty, Esq., Getnick & Getnick; Nadine Fontaine, Esq., Epiq Systems; Michael Jaffe, Esq., Pazer Epstein & Jaffe; Peter Levine; Luis Miranda; Mercedes Nesfield; Damaris Solis Padilla, Esq., New York City Bar Association; Liza M. Velazquez, Esq., Paul, Weiss, LLP.,; and Elliot Wales, Esq.

For further information contact Rachell Sirota, Esq., Director, IJEQC at (212) 340-0572.