The fate of thousands of lawsuits and other civil cases in New York is up in the air after the court system abruptly announced that it is terminating 46 judges in a move to slash the budget. This move will have dire consequences as the New York Uniform Court System, already moving at snails pace, will move even slower.

 

Overall, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and OCA's Administrative Board denied recertification to 46 of the 49 judges who applied across New York. Under state law, supreme court justices are required to apply for recertification and undergo cognitive exams every two years after turning 70 until they reach a mandatory retirement age of 76.

 

The terminations are a cost-cutting measure for a court system seeking to slash 10 percent of its budget, or $300 million, said Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks in a memo sent to administrative across the state.

 

The decision not to recertify the judges will also affect their law secretaries and court clerks, who will either be picked up by another judge with an opening or laid off. The cutbacks come amid mounting caseloads as a result of the COVID crisis.

 

Five of the Manhattan Supreme Court judges losing their jobs all preside in Civil Term. They are Justices Lucy Billings, Kathryn Freed, Robert Kalish, Joan Madden and Alan Marin.

 

 

Hon. David Friedman NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Judicial Dept 1st

Hon. Ellen Frances Gesmer NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Judicial Dept 1st

Hon. Jeffrey A. Cohen NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Dept. 2nd

Hon. John M. Leventhal NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Dep 2nd

Hon. Joseph J. Maltese NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Dept. 2nd

Hon. Eugene P. Devine NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Judicial Dept. 2nd

Hon. Sheri S. Roman NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Dvision, Second Judicial Dept. 2nd

Hon. Ben R. Barbato NYS Supreme Court, Bronx County - Civil Term 1st

Hon. Robert T. Johnson NYS Supreme Court, Bronx County - Civil Term 2nd

Hon. Donald A. Miles NYS Supreme Court, Bronx County - Civil Term 2nd

Hon. Howard H. Sherman NYS Supreme Court, Bronx County - Civil Term 2nd

Hon. Fernando Tapia NYS Supreme Court, Bronx County - Civil Term 1st

Hon. Lester B. Adler NYS Supreme Court, Bronx County - Criminal Term 2nd

Hon. Steven L. Barrett NYS Supreme Court, Bronx County - Criminal Term 3rd

Hon. Nicholas J. Iacovetta NYS Supreme Court, Bronx County - Criminal Term 2nd

Hon. Joseph R. Glownia NYS Supreme Court, Erie County 3rd

Hon Larry D. Martin NYS Supreme Court, Kings County - Civil Term 2nd

Hon. John J. Ark NYS Supreme Court, Monroe County 3rd

Hon. James J. Piampiano NYS Supreme Court, Monroe County 1st

Hon. Antonio I. Brandveen NYS Supreme Court, Nassau County 3rd

Hon. Jeffrey S. Brown NYS Supreme Court, Nassau County 1st

Hon. Stephen A. Bucaria NYS Supreme Court, Nassau County 1st

Hon. Thomas Feinman NYS Supreme Court, Nassau County 1st

Hon. Lucy A. Billings NYS Supreme Court, New York County - Civil Term 2nd

Hon. Kathryn E. Freed NYS Supreme Court, New York County - Civil Term 3rd

Hon. Robert D. Kalish NYS Supreme Court, New York County - Civil Term 3rd

Hon. Joan A. Madden NYS Supreme Court, New York County - Civil Term 3rd

Hon. Alan C. Marin NYS Supreme Court, New York County - Civil Term 3rd

Hon. Michael J. Obus NYS Supreme Court, New York County - Criminal Term 2nd

Hon. Anthony J. Paris NYS Supreme Court, Onondaga County 2nd

Hon. Norman W. Seiter NYS Supreme Court, Oswego County 3rd

Hon. Joseph J. Esposito NYS Supreme Court, Queens County - Civil Term 1st

Hon. Maureen A. Healy NYS Supreme Court, Queens County - Civil Term 1st

Hon. Bernice D. Siegal NYS Supreme Court, Queens County - Civil Term 1st

Hon. Richard Lance Buchter NYS Supreme Court, Queens County - Criminal Term 2nd

Hon. Daniel Lewis NYS Supreme Court, Queens County - Criminal Term 3rd

Hon. Ira H. Margulis NYS Supreme Court, Queens County - Criminal Term 1st

Hon. Raymond J. Elliott, III NYS Supreme Court, Rensselaer County 3rd

Hon. Orlando Marrazzo, Jr. NYS Supreme Court, Richmond County - Civil Term 1st

Hon. Stephen J. Lynch NYS Supreme Court, Suffolk County 1st

Hon. Vincent J. Martorana NYS Supreme Court, Suffolk County 2nd

Hon. Robert F. Quinlan NYS Supreme Court, Suffolk County 2nd

Hon. Lawrence H. Ecker NYS Supreme Court, Westchester County 3rd

Hon. William J. Giacomo NYS Supreme Court, Westchester County 1st

Hon. Bruce E. Tolbert NYS Supreme Court, Westchester County 2nd

Hon. Thomas A. Adams Presiding Justice, Appellate Term, 9th & 10th JD 2nd

 

Information courtesy of OCA