PRESS RELEASE
September 5, 2012

The Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission (IJEQC) for the Twelfth Judicial District, comprising Bronx County, has reviewed candidates for judicial vacancies in that District and published the rating for those candidates.

The criteria for evaluation under Part 150 of the Rules of the Chief Administrative Judge include “professional ability, character, independence and integrity, reputation for fairness and lack of bias, and temperament, including courtesy and patience.” The guidelines and procedures for the Commissions, including the information to be provided by each candidate, are set forth in Appendix A to Part 150.
Each Commission consists of fifteen members, including attorneys and lay people, selected by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, the Presiding Justices of each Appellate Division, the State Bar Association and local bar associations, and represents a cross section of the community in each district.

This year, the Administrative Board authorized the Commissions to rate candidates “Highly Qualified,” as well as “Qualified” or “Not Found Qualified.” Candidates who were found “Qualified” within the past three years were permitted to request reconsideration for a “Highly Qualified” rating.

This year, the IJEQC for the Twelfth Judicial District rated candidates running in Bronx County as follows:

• Judge Ruben Franco - Justice of the Supreme Court - Qualified
• Judge Nelida Malave-Gonzalez - Surrogate - Qualified

Upon reconsideration, the Commission rated a candidate seeking judicial offices in Bronx County as follows:

• Justice Larry S. Schachner -Justice of the Supreme Court - Highly Qualified

Last year, there were no vacancies for judicial office in Bronx County.

In 2010, the Commission rated candidates as follows.

• Judge Joseph E. Capella - Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York - Qualified
• Verena C. Powell. Esq., - Qualified
• Justice Larry S. Schachner - Justice of the Supreme Court - Qualified
• Justice Edgar G. Walker - Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York - Qualified; and Justice or the Supreme Court - Qualified

Candidates found “Highly Qualified” or “Qualified” for election to judicial office are deemed qualified for that office for three years, absent any new information that may have negative effect of his or her qualifications and background, pursuant to Part 150, Appendix A, Section 3.

The members of the IJEQC for the Twelfth Judicial District are William Gallina, Esq., Chair; Daniel Aguirre; Earamichia Brown, Esq., New York State Inspector General’s Office; Christopher DiLorenzo, Esq., DiLorenzo & Rush; Veronica H. Mandel, Esq.; Donte Mills, Esq., Mills & Edwards, LLP.; Sondra Montes; William K. Peterman, Esq., Corpina, Piergrossi, Klar & Peterman; Nilda Rivera, Esq., Paul Weiss, LLP; Michael Torres, Esq., Michael Torres PC; Sergio Villaverde, Esq., Law Offices of Sergio Villaverde.

For further information contact Rachell Sirota, Esq., Director, IJEQC at (212)340-0572