Jill is an Active Judge

📢 An active judge advocates for better courts, works with lawmakers and fellow judges, listens to families, and continues working long after leaving the bench for the day. 

In November 2023, dozens of New York parents, activists, and legal professionals testified before the Joint – Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary & Senate Standing Committee on Children and Families airing frustrations & concerns about the state of NY family court and the safety of families. As a 9.5-year NY family court judge, I empathize with these families, as I have witnessed broken processes and lack of resources, firsthand.

After the hearing, several well-intentioned bills were introduced by lawmakers in Albany to address the panelists’ concerns. Unfortunately, many were introduced without input from family court experts or judges, potentially leading to inefficiencies, misspent resources, and at worst, dangerous outcomes. 

Since December 2023, I have been actively engaged in educating lawmakers on the feasibility and risks associated with these bills with the New York State Family Court Judges Associations, Inc (NYSFCJA). We have summarized our responses & advice to amend, halt, or support their passage.

Summary of Bills Impacting NYS Family Courts:

  • S 4511B: Increases eligibility period for indigent legal service attorneys to obtain loan forgiveness.

    NYSFCJA: We support this bill.

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    A 8361: Requires all transcripts of proceedings provided to the parties within five days, requires attorneys for children to meet monthly with both parents or guardians and submit a report, increases the compensation of assigned counsel and permits any party to request a trial by jury.

    NYSFCJA: We oppose this bill. This bill would require an enormous expenditure of cash, increase delays, worsen the existing attorney shortage, plus require expanding the sizes of aging courtroom buildings and security infrastructure. Funds could instead be invested in improving technology, increasing security, staffing, or building child care centers open during court operations.

    Lastly, conversations between parents/guardians and children’s attorneys could place all parties in legal risk. The parent’s own lawyers might advise against it, as all conversations could be used against them in court and are not subject to attorney-client privilege.

  • S1785: Amendment to Judiciary Act: Remove mandatory retirement age of city court judges.

    NYSFCJA: We support this bill. With the shortage of attorneys across the state, we need an experienced bench with judges willing to serve.

  • S 6288 "Melanie’s Law": Expands orders of protection for immediate family members of named victims to persons of any age.

    NYSFCJA: We oppose this bill. It ignores the pre-existing solution that every person over the age of 18 already has the right to request an order of protection from family court or criminal court. Further, this could expand case loads and present risks of family members obtaining emergency orders without an adult child’s knowledge or permission.

  • S 2571: Expands the jurisdiction of family court to include offenses from people who have no relationship.

    NYSFCJA: We oppose this bill, which takes the “family” out of family court. Since 2020, cases filed under NYS Article 8 (family offensives) have increased by 46%. Our current resources cannot handle the added strains, ambiguities, and complexities that this expansion would bring. Further, criminal courts are better equipped with forensic evaluation units & services for victims than family courts.

  • S 8339A: Attempts to clarify the standard to use when determining whether to close the courtroom to the public or exclude someone from the courtroom.

    NYSFCJA: We oppose this bill. The decision to exclude persons from courtrooms is made with thoughtful consideration by judges to maintain safety and decorum. Further, many cases involving children are traditionally closed for privacy and safety reasons. There is already a rule in place, 22 NYCRR 205.4, that addresses open courts and exclusions.

  • S 1571: Requires the ethics commission of the unified court system to post judges' annual financial disclosures on the commission's website.

    NYSFCJA: We oppose this bill. While we appreciate the need for greater transparency, attacks on jurists and judges are on the rise. These disclosures would reveal additional personal information, putting our personal security at further risk.