How did that judge get there?

At the February 2019 meeting of New Kings Democrats, Judge Margarita Lopez Torres offered some insight into the seemingly convoluted way that judges get their placements – either onto the ballot or directly into the seat. When she spoke, she was running for re-election to her seat in the Surrogate Court. (She won her re-election this past June.)

As an overview, in New York City there are a variety to the types of courts:

• Civil Court

• Criminal Court: takes on lesser crimes

• Supreme Court: looks at bigger cases

• Family Court: focuses on delinquency and family offenses

• Surrogate Court: for estate disputes and adoptions

And to get a judgeship in one of these courts, there is a different protocol:

• Civil Court judges are elected in primary elections (THIS IS WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO VOTE IN PRIMARIES EVERYONE!!!!!)

• Criminal Court judges are appointment by the Mayor

• Supreme Court judges are selected in a very opaque system at the Judicial Convention where delegates (WHO ARE ELECTED!) select the nominees. (The general electorate votes for the delegates in open primaries.)

• Family Court judges are appointed

• Surrogate Court judges are also elected
  

When we were about to go into the voting booth for this particular election, New Kings Democrats offered a great reader to help clarify some of the confusion and smoke and mirrors of this process.

It’s so important that we vote in every single election. Our elections are so much bigger than electing a President – which yes, is of insanely giant importance – the local elections have touch us much more closely and are connected to our everyday lives.

Should you find yourself in front of a Supreme Court, Surrogate Court, or Civil Court judge, don’t you want to know their record and views through their previous cases? Is it someone you would want a friend or family to be standing in front of if they had to? And if we’re not voting directly for the judge, make sure that you’re voting for a Mayor who would appoint a judge that you would want sitting in the Criminal or Family Court seats.

VOTE.