Vol 3 3_18_22 NAWJ NY Women's History Month Book

Vol. 3 March 18, 2022

Celebrates Women’s History Month

The Power of Women’s Voices

“Women belong in all places where
decisions are being made.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Cover photos compliments of:
https://nyiac.org/nyiac-news/nyiac-founding-chairperson/
https://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/soj.htm
https://nycourts.gov/ctapps/jciparick.htm
https://people.com/politics/ruth-bader-ginsburg-health-ups-downs/
https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com/b-p-gale-brewer-c-virginia-fields-and-ruth-messinger-honor-constance-baker-motley/
https://supremecourthistory.org/justice-elena-kagan/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sonia-Sotomayor
https://nycourts.gov/ctapps/jasalaam.htm
https://www.biography.com/political-figure/jane-bolin

New York State Trial Courts

The vast majority of litigation in New York is resolved in its trial courts, with
issues ranging from: family, criminal, real property, torts, estates and corporate law. In
one of those areas, family law, women are on the front lines on a daily basis trying to
dispense justice under the most challenging of circumstances. In fact female pioneers of
justice have often begun their careers in courts of our state that deal with Domestic
Relations matters, thus in this third installment of our Women’s History Month tribute
it is fitting to shine a spotlight on a few of those women.

Justine Polier

Hon. Justine Polier understood the importance of using her voice at an early age.
Her passion for helping others was something that was arguably ignited not only by her
parents who dedicated their lives in public service, but was further fueled by her study
of labor relations at Bryn Mawr and Radcliffe.

While a student at Yale Polier refused to put her advocacy skills on a shelf for her
studies, so she worked at a settlement house and used her voice to fight for workers
rights supporting the 1926 Passiac textile strike.

Polier upon graduating from law school became the first woman referee and she
served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the Worker’s Compensation Division in
1934. Thus it only seemed natural that she would in 1935 be appointed by New York
City Mayor Fiorella H. La Guardia as a judge of the Domestics Relation Court. During
her 38 years on the Court Judge Polier was known as an activist Judge, who advocated
for the poor and others who were rendered voiceless by society. From 1941-1942 she
took a leave of absence from the bench to serve as special counsel and deputy chair of
the Office of Civilian Defense, working with Eleanor Roosevelt. She also founded a
school for emotionally disturbed boys and an adoption agency. Judge Polier was also
involved in numerous other efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our society, which
includes writing New York’s first anti-discrimination laws. It could be argued that she
was the Original RBG, who like her “Sister In Law” who followed her she too had a
powerful voice and unselfishly used it.*

Photo https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/polier-justine-wise *

Hon. Jane Bolin

Hon. Jane Bolin was born in Poughkeepsie, New York to Gaius C. Bolin, a Black
attorney and a white mother from the British Isles who died when she was eight. In her
early years she was privy to depictions of blacks being hung in the south and she herself
was the victim of discrimination due to her race. In fact it was racial discrimination that
played a role in determining what college Bolin would attend. Her preferred choice
Vassar denied her admission due to its policy to exclude blacks, so she attended Wellesley
College. Bolin was tenacious in pursuing what she wanted. Thus it is not surprising that
despite being discouraged to apply to Yale Law based on her gender and race; she not on-
ly attended the school she distinguished herself there graduating as the first black woman
from the institution at the top of her class.

Jane Bolin lived a fascinating life as a black female republican lawyer in the 1930's.
She practiced law with her first husband in New York City. She established her own
political identity when she unsuccessfully ran as a republican for the New York Assembly.
Bolin then became the first black assistant corporation counsel for New York City.

On July 22, 1939 at age 31 Jane Bolin became the first black woman in the United
States to become a judge upon being appointed by Mayor Fiorello La Gaurdia as a judge of
the Domestic Relations Court, later renamed Family Court, where she remained until
mandatory retirement at age 70. As a judge she approached issues facing families in a full
throated manner. Judge Bolin also addressed segregationist policies that were in place in
her court. In addition, she also was an active member of the community participating on
numerous boards which included the NAACP and the Urban League.

Judge Bolin was a woman who challenged racial, gender and political views of her
time. She had a drive that prevented heartache or disappointment from preventing her
from being her best self. An example of this is that when her first husband died in 1943
she raised her son on her own for a number of years, while showing up at the court house
or every day to dispense justice.*

*Photos compliments of https://www.biography.com/political-figure/jane-bolin
https://history.nycourts.gov/judge-jane-bolin/

Dear Sisters in Law,

This next section celebrating
Women’s History Month is not meant to
be inclusive of every barrier breaker
amongst our ranks nor is it a complete
representation of what justice looks like
today. It is simply offered as a mere
sampling of the many talented women
that are now members of the judiciary.
However, the good news is that the number
of women serving as members of the
judiciary at all levels has significantly
increased, which is why time nor space
will allow me to celebrate all of you in this
document. Nevertheless, be assured that
as I pass the baton at the end of this
calendar year I will suggest that
committees be established in each judicial
department to discuss a plan to collect and
present the totality of our collective history.

Hon. Raja Rajeswari Barrier Breakers Hon. Lilian Wan
Criminal Court Supreme Court
Hon. Karen Bailey Turner Kings County
New York County County Court
Monroe County Hon. Fatimat O. Reid
Hon. Rachel Freier Family Court
Criminal Court Monroe County

New York County

Hon. Christina Ryba Hon. Grace Hanlon
Supreme Court Supreme Court
Albany County
Chautauqua Coun-

Integrated Domestic Violence

Hon. Debra Haendiges Hon. Esther Morgenstern Hon. Llinét Rosado
Erie County Supreme Court Kings County Supreme Court Bronx County Supreme Court

Hon. Elisa Koenderman Hon. Tandra Dawson
Queens County New York County Court
Supreme Court

Photos compliments of
ttps://conference2018.aabany.org/speaker/hon-raja-rajeswari/
https://www.albanylaw.edu/spotlight/alumni/judge-wan-00-makes-history-ny-court-claims-higgitt-01-mccarty-79-also-confirmed
https://lcw.touro.edu/news--events/events/list/justice-rachel-freier-112017.php
https://www.wxxinews.org/government/2018-11-13/democrat-fatimat-reid-wins-a-monroe-county-family-court-judgeship
https://www.law.buffalo.edu/alumni/connect/mar20.html
https://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Sources-Christina-Ryba-Supreme-Court-judge-6618755.php
https://nycourts.gov/info/OFVC/Newletters/2016-Fall/index.html
https://www.alumni.albany.edu/s/1642/bp18/interior-wide.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=3187
https://nycourts.gov/info/OFVC/Newletters/2016-Fall/index.html
https://nycourts.gov/info/OFVC/newletters/2017/index.html

Family Court

Hon. Anne-Marie Jolly
Administrative Judge
of the New York City Family Court

Hon. Sarah P. Cooper Hon. Amanda White Hon. Helene Sacco
Supervising Judge Supervising Judge Supervising Judge
Bronx County Richmond County
Kings County

The Judges of Erie County Family Court

Hon. Sharon LoVallo Hon. Mary G. Carney Hon. Kelly Brinkworth Hon. Margaret Szczur

Hon. Lenora Foote-Beavers Hon. Brenda Freedman
Acting-Family Court Judge

The Judges of Onondaga County Family Court

Hon. Julie Cecile

Hon. Christie DeJoseph Hon. Julie Cerio Hon. Michele Pirro Bailey

Hon. Martha Mulroy

Photos compliments of
https://ww2.nycourts.gov/hon-anne-marie-jolly-33826
https://ballotpedia.org/Sarah_Cooper
https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2015/09/25/justice-laporte-recalls-her-unlikely-ascent-to-the-bench-at-hispanic-heritage-celebration/
https://www.silive.com/northshore/2011/04/supervising_judge_credited_wit.html
https://ballotpedia.org/Mary_Giallanza_Carney
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/64950955/baec-november-2020-bulletin
https://www.law.buffalo.edu/alumni/connect/dec20.html
https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2016/11/15/freedman-learns-lessons-from-trailblazing-mother.html
https://www.nycourts.gov/info/FHW/newsletters/2020/Fall/pages/story_25.html

Speciality Courts

Hon. Marcia Hirsch
Presiding Judge of Queens Treatment Court

Court of Claims

Hon. Toko Seritas Hon. Cheree Buggs
Human Trafficking Mental Hygiene Part

Queens Court Queens County

Hon. Bruna Dibiase
Youth Part

Queens County

Commercial Division

New York County

Hon. Jennifer G. Schecter Hon. Melissa Crane

Hon. Margaret Chan

Hon. Debra A. Chimes Hon. Andrea Masely

Photos compliments of :
https://www.usjapancouncil.org/2014-japanese-american-leadership-delegation/https://law.hofstra.edu/on-the-bench/
https://queenseagle.com/all/2019/2/5/justice-chere-buggs-prepares-for-queens-raise-the-age-forum
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/wtc-fortress-fine-judge-article-1.1605395
http://ww2.nycourts.gov/courts/comdiv/ny/newyork_bio_schecter.shtml
https://www.prweb.com/releases/young-marines/melissa-crane-treasurer/prweb13432362.htm
https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2020/10/08/citing-judicial-budget-cuts-manhattan-justice-denies-request-for-judicial-hearing-officer
-to-oversee-discovery/?slreturn=20220217142709
https://www.orchardparkbee.com/articles/chimes-backed-by-gop-conservative-parties-for-state-supreme-court/

Surrogates Court

Hon. Polly Hoye Hon. Nelida Malave-Gonzalez
Fulton County Bronx County

Hon. Nora S. Anderson
New York County

Hon. Stacey L. Pettit Hon. Margaret C. Reilly
Albany County Nassau County

Hon. Marianne Furfure Hon. Rita Mella
Steuben County

Hon. Margarita Lopez Torres
Kings County

Hon. Acea Mosey Hon. Sara McGinty
Erie County Ulster County

Photos compliments of:
https://www.improvegloversville.org/our-team/
https://thebronxfreepress.com/justice-on-a-journey-justicia-en-un-viaje/
http://insidecrowd.co/inthepress/category/Judge+Rita+Mella
https://ballotpedia.org/Stacy_L._Pettit
https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/almID/1202741745052/Westchester-Nassau-Elect-Surrogates/
https://subscribe.buffalonews.com/e/limit-reached-bn?returnURL=https://buffalonews.com/business/local/hon-acea-m-mosey-receives-award/
article_08c98bcd-c7af-533c-b4c2-96782b4793ff.html
https://politicsny.com/2019/05/22/margarita-lopez-torres-continuing-her-work/
https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/2016/11/04/voters-guide-ulster-county-surrogate-court-
http://ww2.nycourts.gov/ip/nya2j/DIYawards/awardCortland_Surrogates.shtmljudge/92729956/