PRESS RELEASE
July 29, 2011

The Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission (IJEQC) for the First Judicial District, comprising New York County, completed its review of the 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. Two Commissions were established to review the qualifications of candidates for judicial offices in the First Department, one for the First Judicial District, comprising New York County, and another for the Twelfth Judicial District, comprising Bronx County.

This year, the IJEQC for the First Judicial District rated candidates running in New York County as follows:

• Judge Harold A. Adler-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York-Qualified
• Justice Raymond L. Bruce-Justice of the Supreme Court and Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York-Qualified
• Melissa Crane, Esq. -Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York-Qualified
• Justice Arthur Engoron-Justice of the Supreme Court and Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York-Qualified
• Judge Kathryn E. Freed-Justice of the Supreme Court-Qualified
• Justice Deborah Kaplan-Justice of the Supreme Court and Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York-Qualified
• Justice Tanya R. Kennedy-Justice of the Supreme Court-Qualified
• Justice Joan A. Madden-Justice of the Supreme Court-Qualified
• Justice Ruth Pickholz-Justice of the Supreme Court-Qualified
• Justice Saliann Scarpulla-Justice of the Supreme Court-Qualified
• Justice Laura Visitacion-Lewis-Justice of the Supreme Court-Qualified

Last year, the IJEQC for the First Judicial District rated candidates running in New York County as follows:

• Glenn F. Hardy, Esq.-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County-Qualified
• Justice Barbara Jaffe-Justice of the Supreme Court-Qualified
• Judge Sabrina B. Kraus-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County-Qualified
• Judge Gerald Lebovits-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County-Qualified
• Eileen Malunowicz, Esq.-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County-Qualified
• Judge Verna L. Saunders-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County-Qualified
• Judge George J. Silver-Justice of the Supreme Court-Qualified

In 2009, the IJEQC for the First Judicial District rated candidates running in New York County as follows:

• Jennifer G. Schecter, Esq.-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County-Qualified
• J. Machelle Sweeting, Esq.-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County-Qualified
• Judge Analisa Torres-Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County and Justice of the Supreme Court-Qualified.

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

The members of the IJEQC for the First Judicial District are Hon. George Bundy Smith, Chadbourne & Parke, Chair; Wanda H. Jackson, Senior Vice President, National Urban League; Peter Johnson, Jr., Leahey & Johnson, P.C.; Lenore Kramer, Esq., Kramer & Dunleavy,LLP; Jeffrey Lichtman, Esq. Trolman Glaser & Lichtman; Luis Miranda, Jr.; Shamsey Oloko, Esq., The Thorgood Law Firm; Edwin David Robertson, Esq., Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP; Alberto Riog, Esq., Assistant District Attorney; Pedro M. Suarez; Martha Torres, Esq., Assistant Director of Human Resources and Administrative Services, Courant Institute of Mathematics and Science, New York University; Lisa M. Velazquez, Esq., Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; Elliot Wales, Esq.; Ona T. Wang, Esq., Baker Hostetler; and Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO, The Partnership for New York City.

For further information, contact First Judicial District Commission Chair Hon. George Bundy Smith at Chadbourne & Parke, (212) 408-5100 or Rachell Sirota, Esq., Director, IJEQC at (212) 340-0572.