NYS Judges of Color Statement Regarding Duties as Jurist and Commitment to Equal Treatment.pdf - Derrek Thomas

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Our message to the community: As judges of color who preside over criminal and civil matters within the community, we feel compelled, in light of events that have been and are unfolding before us all across the country, to take a moment to convey our thoughts, as to our responsibility and commitment as jurists. W.E.B. Du Bois, the first African American to receive a Ph.D from Harvard University, wrote over a century ago in 1903, in his book titled “The Souls of Black Folk”, that: “Daily the [person of color] is coming more and more to look upon law and justice, not as protecting safeguards, but as sources of humiliation and oppression.” Sadly, for too many, such sentiments are as raw today as they were in 1903, as evidenced by worldwide protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. Each day we seek to dispel any narrative or belief that looks upon courts as instruments of injustice, by treating each person fairly and impartially while upholding our oaths to the constitutions of the State of New York and the United States. However, there is much work to be done, and we like all judges must be mindful of the impact of systemic racism or bias in fulfilling the court’s responsibility to ensure equal justice to all under the law. We reaffirm our commitment to make a positive difference within our respective courts each day and to ensure that those appearing before us are treated equally, with the respect and dignity that both the law and humanity require. Sincerely, ________ Court of Appeals Integrated Domestic Hon. Juan M. Merchan, NYS Criminal Term, Bronx County Hon. Jenny Rivera, Associate Violence Court Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Laura Visitacion-Lewis, Judge of the Court of Appeals Hon. Althea E.M. Drysdale, Criminal Term, New York NYS Supreme Court Justice Hon. Rowan D. Wilson, Acting Supreme Court County (Ret.) Associate Judge of the Court Justice, New York County Hon. Marsha Michael, NYS Hon. Craig Walker, Acting of Appeals Hon. Erika Edwards, NYS Supreme Court Justice, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Bronx County Criminal Term, Kings County Appellate Division and Criminal Term, New York Hon. Guy H. Mitchell, Acting Hon. Alvin Yearwood, Acting Appellate Terms of the NYS County NYS Supreme Court Justice, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Supreme Court Hon. Genine D. Edwards, Criminal Term, Bronx County Criminal Term, Bronx County Hon. Betsy Barros, Associate NYS Supreme Court Justice, Hon. E. Jeannette Ogden, Justice, Appellate Division, Kings County NYS Supreme Court Justice, Court of Claims Second Department Hon. William G. Ford, NYS 8th Judicial District Hon. Edwina G. Richardson- Hon. Sallie Manzanet- Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Joanne D. Quinones, Mendelson, NYS Court of Daniels, Associate Justice, Suffolk County Acting NYS Supreme Court Claims Judge, Deputy Chief Appellate Division, First Hon. Sharon Gianelli, NYS Justice, Criminal Term, Kings Administrative Judge for Department Supreme Court Justice, County Justice Initiatives Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan, Nassau County Hon. Leticia Maria Ramirez, Hon. Walter Rivera, NYS Associate Justice, Appellate Hon. Wyatt N. Gibbons, NYS Acting NYS Supreme Court Court of Claims Judge Term, First Department, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Civil Justice, New York County Hon. Lillian Wan, NYS Court Supreme Court Term, Queens County Hon. Richard Rivera, Acting of Claims Judge, Acting NYS Hon. Wavny Toussaint, NYS Hon. Wilma Guzman, NYS NYS Supreme Court Justice, Supreme Court Justice, Kings Supreme Court Kings County Supreme Court Justice, Bronx Albany County Family Court County and Associate Justice of the County Hon. Llinét M. Rosado, NYS Appellate Term Hon. Kenneth C. Holder, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Civil County Court Supreme Court Justice, Term, Bronx County Hon. Helen M. Blackwood, NYS Supreme Court Queens County Hon. Verna Saunders, NYS Westchester County Court Hon. Margaret Chan, ASCJ, Hon. Phillip Hom, NYS Supreme Court Justice Judge Supreme Court, New York Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Ruth Shillingford, Hon. William A. Carter, County Queens County Acting NYS Supreme Court Albany County Court Judge Hon. Lizzette Colon, Acting Hon. Sharen Hudson, Acting Justice, Criminal Term, Kings Hon. Maija C. Dixon, Acting NYS Supreme Court Justice NYS Supreme Court Justice, County Monroe County Court Judge, Hon. Gordon Cuffy, Acting Criminal Term, Kings County Hon. J. Machelle Sweeting, Rochester City Court Judge NYS Supreme Court Justice Hon. Debra A. James, NYS Acting NYS Supreme Court Hon. Derrick J. Robinson, Hon. Kathie Davidson, NYS Supreme Court Justice, New Justice, Harlem Community Acting Suffolk County Judge, Supreme Court Justice, York County Justice Center, Presiding District Court Judge Westchester County, Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy, NYS Justice Administrative Judge, 9th Supreme Court Justice, Civil Hon. Delores J. Thomas, NYS Family and Surrogates Court Judicial District Term, New York County Supreme Court Justice, Kings Hon. Sherri Brooks-Morton, Hon. Tandra L. Dawson, Hon. Janet C. Malone, NYS County Albany County Family Court Acting Supreme Court Supreme Court Justice, Hon. George R. Villegas, NYS Judge Justice, New York County, Westchester County Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Kevin M. Carter, Hon. Sharon A. Bourne- Meléndez, NYC Civil Court Hon. Lissette G. Fernandez, Supervising Judge of Family Clarke, NYC Civil Court Judge, Judge, Kings County Peekskill City Court Judge Courts, 8th Judicial District Richmond County Hon. Claudia Daniels- Hon. Tricia Ferrell, District Hon. Karen M.C. Cortes, Hon. Phyllis Chu, NYC DePeyster, NYC Criminal Court, Nassau County Bronx County Family Court Criminal Court Judge, New Court Judge, Kings County Hon. Lenora B. Foote- Judge York County Hon. Dweynie E. Paul, NYC Beavers, Buffalo City Court Hon. Dean Kusakabe, Hon. Patria Frias-Colón, NYC Civil Court Judge, Kings Judge, Domestic Violence Queens County Family Court Civil Court Judge, Kings County Part Judge County Hon. Bianka Perez, NYC Civil Hon. Teneka E. Frost, Hon. Connie Gonzalez, Hon. Abena Darkeh, NYC Court Judge, Bronx County Schenectady City Court Judge Queens County Family Court Criminal Court Judge, Kings Hon. Enedina Pilar Sanchez, Hon. Helena Heath, Albany Judge County NYC Housing Court Judge, City Court Judge Hon. Mildred Negron, Hon. Christel F. Garland, NYC Queens County Hon. Reginald J. Johnson, Queens County Family Court Housing Court Judge, Bronx Hon. Sandra E. Roper, NYC Peekskill City Court Judge Judge County Civil Court Judge, Kings Hon. Michael C. Lopez, Hon. Gayle P. Roberts, Bronx Hon. Cheryl Gonzales, NYC County Rochester City Court Judge County Family Court Judge Housing Court Judge, Kings Hon. Toko Serita, NYC Hon. Jared R. Rice, New Hon. Jonathan H. Shim, New County Criminal Court Judge, Rochelle City Court Judge York County Family Court Hon. Karen Gopee, NYC Queens County Hon. Robert Russell, Buffalo Judge Criminal Court Judge, Hon. Marissa Soto, NYC Civil City Court Judge Hon. Aija Tingling, Acting Queens County Court Judge, Bronx County Hon. Derrek Thomas, Bronx County Family Court Hon. Jeffrey Gershuny, NYC Hon. Bryant Tovar, Bronx Syracuse City Court Judge Judge Criminal Court Judge Housing Court Judge Hon. Margarita Lopez Hon. Lisa S. Headley, NYC Hon. Kim Adair Wilson, NYC Town and Village Courts Torres, Kings County Civil Court Judge, New York Civil Court Judge, Bronx Hon. Joaquin F. Alemany, Surrogates Court Judge County County Scarsdale Village Court Hon. Shorab Ibrahim, NYC Justice NYC Civil and Criminal Courts Housing Court Judge, Bronx City and District Courts Hon. Delores Scott Hon. Deepa Ambekar, NYC County Outside NYC Brathwaite, Greenburgh Criminal Court Judge, Kings Hon. Michelle A. Johnson, Hon. Adrian Armstrong, Town Court Justice County Supervising Judge, NYC Mount Vernon City Court Hon. Maritza Fugaro- Hon. Karina E. Alomar, NYC Criminal Court, Queens Judge Norton, Cortlandt Town Civil Court Judge, Queens County Hon. Vanessa Bogan, Court Justice County Hon. John Lansden, NYC Syracuse City Court Judge, Hon. Elena Goldberg Hon. Shahabuddeen A. Ally, Housing Court Judge, Queens Youth Part Judge Velazquez, Yonkers City NYC Criminal Court Judge, County Hon. Betty Calvo-Torres, Court Judge Bronx County Hon. Consuelo Mallafré Buffalo City Court Judge