NYS Judges of Color Statement Regarding Duties As Jurist and Commitment To Equal Treatment

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 Criminal Term, Bronx County Queens County Acting NYS Supreme Court
Hon. Jenny Rivera, Associate Hon. Margaret Chan, ASCJ, Hon. Phillip Hom, NYS Justice, Criminal Term, Kings
Judge of the Court of Appeals NYS Supreme Court Justice, Supreme Court Justice, County
Hon. Rowan D. Wilson, New York County Queens County Hon. Leticia Maria Ramirez,
Associate Judge of the Court Hon. Lizette Colon, Acting Hon. Sharen Hudson, Acting Acting NYS Supreme Court
of Appeals NYS Supreme Court Justice NYS Supreme Court Justice, Justice, New York County
Hon. Gordon Cuffy, Acting Criminal Term, Kings County Hon. Richard Rivera, Acting
Appellate Division and NYS Supreme Court Justice Hon. Debra A. James, NYS NYS Supreme Court Justice,
Appellate Terms of the NYS Hon. Kathie Davidson, NYS Supreme Court Justice, New Albany County Family Court
Supreme Court Supreme Court Justice, York County Judge
Hon. Betsy Barros, Associate Westchester County, Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy, NYS Hon. Llinét M. Rosado, NYS
Justice, Appellate Division, Administrative Judge, 9th Supreme Court Justice, Civil Supreme Court Justice, Civil
Second Department Judicial District Term, New York County Term, Bronx County
Hon. Sylvia Hinds-Radix, Hon. Tandra L. Dawson, Hon. Janet C. Malone, NYS Hon. Verna Saunders, NYS
Associate Justice, Appellate Acting Supreme Court Supreme Court Justice, Supreme Court Justice
Division, Second Department Justice, New York County, Westchester County Hon. Toko Serita, Acting NYS
Hon. Lizbeth González, Integrated Domestic Hon. Larry D. Martin, NYS Supreme Court Justice,
Associate Justice, Appellate Violence Court Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Queens
Division, First Department Hon. Althea E.M. Drysdale, Commercial Division, Kings County
Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan, Acting Supreme Court County Hon. Ruth Shillingford,
Associate Justice, Appellate Justice, New York County Hon. La Tia W. Martin, NYS Acting NYS Supreme Court
Term, First Department, NYS Hon. Erika Edwards, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Civil Justice, Criminal Term, Kings
Supreme Court Supreme Court Justice, Term, Bronx County County
Hon. Sallie Manzanet- Criminal Term, New York Hon. Manuel J. Mendez, NYS Hon. J. Machelle Sweeting,
Daniels, Associate Justice, County Supreme Court Justice, New Acting NYS Supreme Court
Appellate Division, First Hon. Genine D. Edwards, York County Justice, Harlem Community
Department NYS Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Marsha D. Michael, Justice Center, Presiding
Hon. L. Priscilla Hall (Ret.), Civil Term, Kings County NYS Supreme Court Justice, Justice
Associate Justice, Appellate Hon. William G. Ford, NYS Criminal Term, Bronx County Hon. Delores J. Thomas, NYS
Division, Second Department Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Donald A. Miles, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Kings
Hon. Dianne T. Renwick, Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice, Bronx County
Associate Justice, Appellate Hon. Sharon Gianelli, NYS County Hon. Kenneth L. Thompson,
Division, First Department Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Guy H. Mitchell, Acting Jr., NYS Supreme Court
Hon. Wavny Toussaint, NYS Nassau County NYS Supreme Court Justice, Justice, Bronx County
Supreme Court Kings County Hon. Wyatt N. Gibbons, NYS Criminal Term, Bronx County Hon. Alison Y. Tuitt, NYS
and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Justice, Civil Hon. E. Jeannette Ogden, Supreme Court Justice, Civil
Appellate Term, Second Term, Queens County NYS Supreme Court Justice, Term, Bronx County
Department Hon. Wilma Guzman, NYS 8th Judicial District Hon. George R. Villegas, NYS
Supreme Court Justice, Bronx Hon. Bahaati E. Pitt, NYS Supreme Court Justice,
NYS Supreme Court County Supreme Court Justice, Criminal Term, Bronx County
Hon. John Carter, NYS Hon. Kenneth C. Holder, NYS Criminal Term, Bronx County Hon. Laura Visitacion-Lewis
Supreme Court Justice, Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Joanne D. Quinones, (Ret.), NYS Supreme Court
Justice, Criminal and Civil Judge County
Terms, New York County Hon. Dean Kusakabe, Hon. Karen Gopee, NYC City and District Courts
Hon. Craig Walker, Acting Queens County Family Court Criminal Court Judge, Outside NYC
NYS Supreme Court Justice, Judge Queens County Hon. Adrian Armstrong,
Criminal Term, Kings County Hon. Connie Gonzalez, Hon. Jeffrey Gershuny, NYC Mount Vernon City Court
Hon. Sam D. Walker, NYS Queens County Family Court Criminal Court Judge, Judge
Supreme Court Justice, 9th Judge Queens County Hon. Vanessa Bogan,
Judicial District Hon. Arlene Gordon-Oliver, Hon. Lisa S. Headley, NYC Syracuse City Court Judge,
Hon. Alvin Yearwood, Acting Westchester County Family Civil Court Judge, New York Youth Part Judge
NYS Supreme Court Justice, Court Judge County Hon. Betty Calvo-Torres,
Criminal Term, Bronx County Hon. Patsy Gouldborne, Hon. John A. Howard- Buffalo City Court Judge
AJSC, Matrimonial Court Algarin, NYC Criminal Court Hon. Lissette G. Fernandez,
Court of Claims Judge, Bronx County Judge, New York County Peekskill City Court Judge
Hon. Edwina G. Richardson- Hon. Mildred Negron, Hon. Shorab Ibrahim, NYC Hon. Tricia Ferrell, District
Mendelson, NYS Court of Queens County Family Court Housing Court Judge, Bronx Court, Nassau County
Claims Judge, Deputy Chief Judge County Hon. Lenora B. Foote-
Administrative Judge for Hon. Gayle P. Roberts, Bronx Hon. Michelle A. Johnson, Beavers, Buffalo City Court
Justice Initiatives County Family Court Judge Supervising Judge, NYC Judge, Domestic Violence
Hon. Juan M. Merchan, NYS Hon. Jonathan H. Shim, New Criminal Court, Queens Part
Court of Claims Judge Acting York County Family Court County Hon. Teneka E. Frost,
NYS Supreme Court Justice, Judge Hon. John Lansden, NYC Schenectady City Court Judge
Criminal Term, New York Hon. Aija Tingling, Acting Housing Court Judge, Queens Hon. Darlene Harris, District
County Bronx County Family Court County Court, Nassau County
Hon. Walter Rivera, NYS Judge Hon. Consuelo Mallafré Hon. Helena Heath, Albany
Court of Claims Judge Hon. Margarita Lopez Meléndez, NYC Civil Court City Court Judge
Hon. Michele S. Rodney, Torres, Kings County Judge, Kings County Hon. Nichelle A. Johnson,
NYS Court of Claims Judge, Surrogates Court Judge Hon. Claudia Daniels- Mount Vernon City Court
Acting NYS Supreme Court Hon. Javier Vargas, Kings DePeyster, NYC Criminal Judge
Justice, Criminal Term, New County Family Court Judge Court Judge, Kings County Hon. Reginald J. Johnson,
York County Hon. Connie Morales, NYC Peekskill City Court Judge
Hon. Lillian Wan, NYS Court NYC Civil and Criminal Courts Civil Court Judge, assigned Hon. Michael C. Lopez,
of Claims Judge, Acting NYS Hon. Deepa Ambekar, NYC Criminal Court, Bronx County Rochester City Court Judge
Supreme Court Justice, Kings Criminal Court Judge, Kings Hon. Dweynie E. Paul, NYC Hon. Jared R. Rice, New
County County Civil Court Judge, Kings Rochelle City Court Judge
Hon. Karina E. Alomar, NYC County Hon. Robert Russell, Buffalo
County Court Civil Court Judge, Queens Hon. Bianka Perez, NYC Civil City Court Judge
Hon. Helen M. Blackwood, County Court Judge, Bronx County Hon. Derrek Thomas,
Westchester County Court Hon. Shahabuddeen A. Ally, Hon. Enedina Pilar Sanchez, Syracuse City Court Judge
Judge NYC Criminal Court Judge, NYC Housing Court Judge, Hon. Elena Goldberg
Hon. William A. Carter, Bronx County Queens County Velazquez, Yonkers City
Albany County Court Judge Hon. Sharon A. Bourne- Hon. Dakota D. Ramseur, Court Judge
Hon. Maija C. Dixon, Acting Clarke, NYC Civil Court Judge, NYC Civil Court Judge, New
Monroe County Court Judge, Richmond County York County Town and Village Courts
Rochester City Court Judge Hon. Phyllis Chu, NYC Hon. Archana Rao, NYC Hon. Joaquin F. Alemany,
Hon. Derrick J. Robinson, Criminal Court Judge, New Criminal Court Judge, Kings Scarsdale Village Court
Acting County Court Judge, York County County Justice
Suffolk County District Court Hon. Patria Frias-Colón, NYC Hon. Sandra E. Roper, NYC Hon. Delores Scott
Civil Court Judge, Kings Civil Court Judge, Kings Brathwaite, Greenburgh
Family and Surrogates Court County County Town Court Justice
Hon. Sherri Brooks-Morton, Hon. Abena Darkeh, NYC Hon. Marissa Soto, NYC Civil Hon. Maritza Fugaro-
Albany County Family Court Criminal Court Judge, Kings Court Judge, Bronx County Norton, Cortlandt Town
Judge County Hon. Bryant Tovar, NYC Court Justice
Hon. Kevin M. Carter, Hon. Christel F. Garland, NYC Housing Court Judge, Bronx
Supervising Judge of Family Housing Court Judge, Bronx County
Courts, 8th Judicial District County Hon. Kim Adair Wilson, NYC
Hon. Karen M.C. Cortes, Hon. Cheryl Gonzales, NYC Civil Court Judge, Bronx
Bronx County Family Court Housing Court Judge, Kings County

NYS Judges of Color Statement Regarding Duties As Jurist and Commitment To Equal Treatment

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