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Judges take over Brooklyn Bar Association for annual Judiciary Night

April 7, 2017 By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
From left: Andrew Fallek, Hon. Matthew D'Emic and Hon. Michael Yavinsky. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese
From left: Andrew Fallek, Hon. Matthew D'Emic and Hon. Michael Yavinsky. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese
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The Brooklyn Bar Association (BBA) held its annual Judiciary Night and invited all of the local judges for a networking event with its members in Brooklyn Heights on Wednesday.

“By tradition, once a year, usually during the spring, the judges of Kings County empty out the Brooklyn courthouses and join together with members of the organized bar to eat, drink and find out the latest news of what’s going on in the courthouse,” said Andrew Fallek, past president of the BBA and chair of the Judiciary Committee.

“Tonight we are recognizing the elected, appointed and elevated judges. We will honor our incumbent judges and we’ll hear from our administrative and supervising judges,” Fallek continued. “We’ll also thank the members of the judiciary committee who screen the candidates and even hear from our acting district attorney.”

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Justice Lawrence Knipel and Justice Matthew D’Emic, administrative judges of the Supreme Court, Civil Term and Criminal Term, respectively, were in attendance. Supervising Judges Hon. Ingrid Joseph, of the Civil Court; Hon. Michael Yavinsky, of the Criminal Court; Hon. Margarita López Torres, of the Surrogate’s Court; and Hon. Gary Marton, of the Housing Court, also attended.

Judge Lillian Wan represented the Family Court and Justice Reinaldo E. Rivera represented the Appellate Division. Hon. Dora Irizarry, chief judge of Brooklyn’s Federal Court, was recognized despite her absence. Hon. George Silver, who was recently promoted to deputy administrative judge for the New York City Courts, was also recognized.

One by one, each of the judges took to the podium to introduce themselves and the newest judges from their courts. The purpose of the evening is not to listen to formal speeches, but to allow the members of the bar and the judiciary to get to know one another better and to exchange ideas.

Judge López Torres and Hon. Frank Seddio, president of the BBA, used to event to speak about a pro se program that the Surrogate’s Court is in need of.

“I remember 10 years ago, there were 60-something employees in the Surrogate’s Court and [now] it’s down to about 40,” said Seddio, who was briefly a Surrogate’s Court judge himself. “It’s a court where many people come into to try to deal with their estates, and Brooklyn is literally the largest borough in the state with regard to the number of estates that are filed each year.

“So we’re working on a pro se program that is established in every other borough except Brooklyn,” Seddio said.

Although the idea for that program didn’t come together that evening, the event was the perfect place for Torres and Seddio to share their plan.

“I am pleased that my former partner in the Surrogate’s Court, Frank Seddio, understands the needs of the Surrogate’s Court and understands that we really need a pro se court attorney to help staff the helpline,” López Torres said. “He has assured me — and I’m going to hold him to it — that he is going to work very diligently to make sure that the Great Republic of Brooklyn has one.”

Other judges, including Justice D’Emic, spoke about recent changes his court has made that have positively impacted it.

“About six months ago, we fundamentally changed the way we operate in the Supreme Court,” said D’Emic. “We’ve had some growing pains, but with seven fewer judges than when I took over a few years. Trials have increased, dispositions increased and the judges are really working hard.”

 


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