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New York State Unified Court System |
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New & NewsworthyCongratulations, Hon. Shirley Troutman!
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On January 12, 2022, the New York State Senate confirmed Governor Kathy Hochul’s nomination of Hon. Shirley Troutman, and Judge Troutman took the oath of office as Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals. Judge Troutman is now the second African American woman in the Court’s history. As Co-Chair of the Franklin H. Williams Commission, Judge Troutman worked tirelessly to ensure a justice system that is fair to all, and during her recent confirmation hearings, members of the NYS Senate commended her legal acumen and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
ODI Celebrates Black History MonthOn February 3, hundreds of court employees and judges attended ODI’s Black History Month program on Teams, featuring “agents of change” – DCAJs Edwina G. Mendelson and Norman St. George. ODI Director Tony Walters moderated a dynamic panel discussion that included references to Bob Marley, HAMILTON the musical, Martin Luther King Jr, and even Judge Mendelson’s mom!? This powerful presentation was recorded, and is available for on-demand viewing through the ODI intranet page. 
Chief Judge DiFiore welcomed attendees to ODI's Black History Month program, held on February 3.
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UCS Black History Month ProgramMark your calendar for February 24, and plan to attend the 32nd Annual UCS Black History Month program. This year’s presentation will focus on “Black Health and Wellness” – see the flyer (below) for more details! 
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8th Judicial District MLK ProgramOn January 13, the Eighth Judicial District’s WNY Coalition of Blacks in the Courts hosted a virtual presentation of the 30th Annual Celebration of the Life & Works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The program featured a panel discussion about equity and inclusion in the courts. The program was recorded and is available on NY Courts Sharepoint.
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Disability AccommodationsThe UCS-ADA Office will be expanding the pilot locations for its new on-line Disability Accommodation Request Form, and the form will soon be available for use in all New York City trial courts. The fillable form gives court users – attorneys, parties, witnesses, jurors, or spectators – another option for making an accommodation request in advance of their visit to a court. The Division of Technology has also created an ADA Dashboard that will generate automatic replies to acknowledge receipt of a request, allow court managers to monitor the administrative response status and compile statistics on usage. Training on use of the new ADA form will begin in February 2022 for NYC court managers and designated personnel. Questions can be submitted to ada@nycourts.gov.
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Appellate Division, First DeptOn Thursday, December 9, 2021, the Appellate Division, First Department (NYC), held its first-ever oral arguments with an all-Latino/ Latina panel of Judges. The panel heard 21 cases, ranging in subject matter from civil and commercial appeals to felony criminal appeals and family court matters. In his opening remarks, Presiding Justice Ronaldo T. Acosta noted the historical significance of the moment. “I am proud to underscore that today is the first time in our Court’s history that we have an all-Latino/Latina bench. As I have previously written, it is difficult to overstate the importance of ensuring that our judiciary reflects the makeup of the citizenry.” 
Appellate Division, 1st Dept Justices on Dec 9, 2021. L to R- Justice Manuel J. Mendez, Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels, Presiding Justice Rolando T. Acosta, Justice Lizbeth González and Justice Julio Rodriguez II. |
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FHW Commission Mentoring ProgramNational Mentoring Month is observed in the month of January. On January 31, 2022, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission hosted a virtual program, Mentoring Works. The program highlighted the success stories of panelists (former FHW mentees) who discussed their journeys to the judicial bench, along with the importance of mentoring. The discussion was moderated by Hon. Joanne D. Quiñones, FHW Commissioner and Chair of the Judicial Mentor Program, with panelists: Hon. Germaine Auguste, NYC Criminal Court (Kings County); Hon. Phillip Dabney, Buffalo City Court; Hon. Inga O’Neale, NYC Criminal Court (Kings County); Hon. Ramón E. Rivera, NYS Court of Claims; and Hon. Vidya Pappachan, NYC Criminal Court (Bronx). For more information about the judicial mentor programs, please send an email to FHWilliams@nycourts.gov |
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For additional updates on News and Events, go to the ODI intranet page:http://inside-ucs.org/oca/workforce-diversity/newsandevents.shtml |
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