Media Advisory
October 30, 2008
Contact:
Eric Friedman
(212) 382-6754
New York City Bar Rates General Election Candidates For
Supreme Court, Surrogate’s Court, and Civil Court in New York City
New York, October 30, 2008 - The New York City Bar has evaluated candidates running in the November 4th general elections for Supreme Court, Surrogate’s Court, and Civil Court in all five counties in New York City.
In examining candidates for the judiciary, the Committee on the Judiciary of the Association seeks to determine whether the candidate possesses the requisite qualifications for judicial office, such as integrity, impartiality, intellectual ability, knowledge of the law, industriousness, and judicial demeanor and temperament.
The Committee advances two ratings: Approved and Not Approved. Candidates rated Approved have affirmatively demonstrated qualifications necessary for the performance of the duties of the court for which they are being considered.
Bronx County
Supreme Court
Alexander W. Hunter, Jr.
Approved
Raphael E. Savino
Approved
Civil Court (Countywide)
Marcos A. Pagan, III
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Elizabeth A. Taylor
Approved
Kings County
Supreme Court
Paul M. Atanasio
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Ariel E. Belen
Approved
Gloria M. Dabiri
Approved
John M. Leventhal
Approved
Plummer E. Lott
Approved
Ellen M. Spodek
Approved
Marsha L. Steinhardt
Approved
Richard Velasquez
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Paul Wooten
Approved
Civil Court (Countywide)
Theodore Alatsas
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Loren Baily Schiffman
Approved
Alice Fisher Rubin
Approved
Ingrid Joseph
Approved
Vincent F. Martusciello
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Philip J. Smallman
Approved
Civil Court (1st District)
Devin P. Cohen
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Civil Court (4th District)
Lisa S. Ottley
Approved
New York County
Supreme Court
Judith J. Gische
Approved
Marcy L. Kahn
Approved
Shirley W. Kornreich
Approved
Martin Schoenfeld
Approved
Surrogates’ Court
Nora S. Anderson
Approved
Civil Court (County)
Nancy M. Bannon
Approved
Civil Court (1st District)
Frank P. Nervo
Approved
Queens County
Supreme Court
Robert Beltrani
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
John F. Casey
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Peter Finocchiaro
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Anthony L. Fumerelle
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Joseph F. Kasper
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Kerry J. Katsorhis
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Orin R. Kitzes
Approved
Lee A. Mayersohn
Approved
Jaime A. Rios
Approved
Sheri S. Roman
Approved
Frederick D.R. Sampson
The Judiciary Committee was unable to complete a review of this candidate.
Joseph W. Sanscrainte
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Martin J. Schulman
Approved
Bernice Siegal
Approved
Civil Court (Countywide)
Terrence C. O’Connor
Not approved by reason of the candidate’s failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate
Carmen R. Velasquez
Approved
Civil Court (4th District)
Pamela B. Jackman-Brown
Approved
Richmond County
Supreme Court
Judith N. McMahon
Approved
Philip S. Straniere
Approved
Note: To ensure the thoroughness and integrity of the ratings process, the City Bar cannot comment beyond what is provided in this release.