Justice for All: Accessing
Quality Justice in New York State
March 22, 2004
In March, The Fund for Modern Courts hosted a public forum, Justice
for All: Accessing Quality Justice in New York State, at the Progressive
Democrats Political Association in Brooklyn. The room was filled
to capacity with citizens concerned about their ability to access
fair and efficient justice. Councilwoman Yvette Clarke along with
her mother, former Councilwoman Una Clarke, who provided the venue
for the forum and who is also the president of the political association,
were among the concerned group of citizens in attendance.
Forum panelists included Modern Courts’ Board Members Alfreida
Kenny, Esq., Robert Newman, Esq., and Ken Jockers, Modern Courts’
Executive Director. Panelists discussed proposed judicial reforms
to improve the administration of justice in New York State, such
as the Unified System’s Court
Restructuring proposal and Judicial Selection reform. Information
for individuals who find themselves embroiled in the justice system
was also presented.
Alfreida Kenny engaged the audience in a lively discussion about
New York’s complex court system, and how the Unified Court
System’s proposal to consolidate the 11 courts of record into
two, the Supreme Court and Surrogate Court, would provide for a
more user-friendly and navigable system. Violet Moss, Modern Courts’
Director of Advocacy and forum coordinator, added that the court
consolidation would be especially helpful to domestic violence victims,
who currently have to go before as many as four different judges
in three different courts.
Judicial
Selection Reform discussion was lead by Ken Jockers. Jockers
pointed out that the current process for selecting judges, which
entails judges being nominated by party screening panels who are
then selected as the candidate by delegates at judicial nominating
conventions exposes judicial candidates to political pressures and
may impede his or her ability to be free and impartial. Conversely,
a system that requires that an independent nominating commission
comprised of a diverse panel of representatives who make candidate
recommendations for appointment better insulates judges from political
pressure and reduces the corruption factor. Most importantly, people
can be more confident about receiving a fair impartial hearing.
The forum ended with Indigent
Defense 101, presented by Robert Newman, who is also an attorney
for the Legal Aid Society. Robert Newman talked about what rights
one is afforded when they are arrested or find themselves embroiled
in the system. Information included basic but important information
about arraignment and individual rights.
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