Criminal Law Library BlogGovernor David Paterson has nominated Jonathan Lippman, currently presiding justice in the Appellate Division First Department of the State Supreme Court, to fill the chief judge’s post that was vacarted when Judith Kaye retired. See Press Release announcing the nomination.
Articles Posted in The Judiciary
Seeking Funding Ideas for Court*
QUESTION:
We as a court are in the process of looking under every rock for potential funding sources. To that end we are interested in getting ideas and tips about short- or long-term legislation and policies around the nation that have provided directed funding to court programs or projects. Specifically, temporary filing fee assessments, temporary fine enhancements, fees for ongoing technology improvements, etc… We intend to use these as ammunition for similar funding should that possibility exist or become necessary during our legislative process. The sky is the limit here and we are looking for ideas so any thought would be helpful.
RESPONSE
Book Review: Anatomy of a Trial: Public Lessons Learned from The People vs. O. J. Simpson
TITLE: Anatomy of a Trial SUBTITLE: Public Loss, Lessons Learned from The People vs. O.J. Simpson AUTHOR: Jerrianne Hayslett PUBLICATION DATE: December 2008 PUBLISHER: University of Missouri Press PAGE COUNT: 256 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-8262-1822-3 PRICE: $29.95
The author was the information officer and media liason for Los Angeles Superior Court during the 1995 criminal trial of Orenthal James Simpson, a retired NFL running back and actor, on charges of murdering his ex-wife and her boyfriend in June of the previous year. Hayslett examines how an ordinary felony murder trial was turned into a public spectacle of excessive and outrageous proportions by the outlandish and, at times unprofessional, conduct of prosecutors, defense attorneys and, unfortunately, the presiding judge, Lance Ito. As she was present daily both in the courtroom and Ito’s chambers, the author delivers an insider’s account of how the judge went from a paragon of judicial stature and competence to a celebrity aspirant devoid of talent or stage skill. Frequently criticizing the judge for being too deferential to the demands of Simpson’s attorneys, Hayslett provides more than just a captivating tale of an aberrational trial and its consequences. Her account includes an essential blueprint for what the media and judges can do in the future to avoid sideshows and to fulfill their responsibilities to the public. Recommended for public, academic, and law libraries.
Book Review: Legacy and Legitimacy: Black Americans and the Supreme Court
TITLE: Legacy And Legitimacy SUBTITLE: Black Americans And The Supreme Court AUTHORS: Rosalee A. Clawson and Eric N. Waltenburg PUBLICATION DATE: December 2008 PUBLISHER: Temple University Press PAGE COUNT: 224 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-59213-903-3
PRICE: $23.95
What is Your Policy On Cell Phones in the Court House?
QUESTION:
What is your policy on cell phones in the courthouse? Are you able to keep them with you? If not, what do you do with them while you are in the courthouse? Can you use them in the courthouse?
SOME RESPONSES:
Justice Made Local: The Future of Town and Village Courts in New York State: A Report by the Special Commission on the Future of New York State Courts
September 2008
A special commission appointed by Hon. Judith S. Kaye, Chief Judge of the Courts in the State of New York, has issued a Report: Justice Most Local, The Future of Town and Village Courts in New York State, which recommends a significant consolidation of the “centuries-old” local court system.
Am excerpt from the Overview of Findings section of the Executive Summary”
Judge Judith S. Kaye Receives 2008 Jury System Impact Award
The ABA Commission on the American Jury Project is pleased to announce Judge Judith S. Kaye, the Chief Judge of the State of New York, and G. Thomas Munsterman, Director Emeritus of the National Center for State Courts Center for Jury Studies, as the recipients of the 2008 Jury System Impact Award. The award honors those that have made tremendous efforts toward the improvement and strengthening of the American jury system.
Both awards were presented at the 2008 Annual Meeting in New York, NY during the Judicial Division Welcome Breakfast on Friday, August 8 from 7:30 – 9:00am at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.
2008 ABA Annual Convention: Some Programs Hosted by the Judicial Division
.:: During the 2008 ABA Annual Meeting, the Judicial Division will be hosting several interesting educational programs for the judges, lawyers, and law students, including the following:
: ** National Conference of State Trial Judges 50th Anniversary Program
** A Swift Round-trip on Erie Railroad: State Law in Federal Courts; Federal Law in State Courts