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FALL 2020 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission Congratulates Newly Elected Judges of Color |
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Honorable Sherri Brooks-Morton Prior to her election as an Albany County Family Court Judge, Hon. Sherri Brooks-Morton spent 12 years committed to public service. After leaving her private solo practice, Judge Brooks-Morton began working as an Albany County Assistant Public Defender in 2007. In 2012, she was appointed by Albany County Executive, Daniel McCoy, and unanimously approved by the Albany County Legislature, to head the Alternate Public Defender’s Office. Hon. Sherri Brooks-Morton has served as a member of the Albany County Democratic Committee’s Law Committee and previously served as the party’s Second Vice Chair. She previously served as a board member of the Albany Capital Center and serves on the boards of Maria College and the American Little League. |
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Honorable Ashlee Crawford November 2020, Judge Ashlee Crawford was elected to Civil Court in New York County, and has been assigned to Bronx Criminal Court. Judge Crawford previously served as an Appellate Court Attorney at the Appellate Division, First Department, and clerked in the Commercial Division, New York County, for Hon. Barbara R. Kapnick and Hon. Saliann Scarpulla. Judge Crawford began her legal career with the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. |
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Honorable Lenora Foote-Beavers Judge Lenora Foote-Beavers began her term in Buffalo City Court on January 1, 2020. She is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence Part. She previously served as the Executive Assistant to Presiding Justice Gerald J. Whalen, the first African-American and first Buffalonian to hold this position. She essentially served as the Chief of Staff for the Fourth Department (22 counties) and handled various court management responsibilities. She is also an adjunct professor in the Paralegal Department at SUNY Erie, teaching Family Law and Constitutional Law. Previously, Judge Foote-Beavers served as a Support Magistrate with Erie County Family Court for 10 years. She handled child support and paternity matters. In addition, she spent 8 years working for the City of Buffalo. During that time, she served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel, and was assigned to the Housing Court and the Buffalo Common Council. She also served as the first Director of the Save Our Streets Program, and as General Counsel for the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency. Judge Foote-Beavers also serves as a Commissioner on the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission and as a member of the Diversity Steering Committee for the Eighth Judicial District. Judge Foote-Beavers received her Juris Doctorate degree from the University at Buffalo School of Law, a Bachelor’s Degree from Canisius College, and an Associate’s Degree from Erie Community College. |
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Honorable Wayne A. Humphrey Judge Wayne A. Humphrey was elected to the Westchester Family Court Bench in November 2019. In January 2020, he was assigned to hear cases in White Plains Family Court, where he currently presides over matters involving family offenses, child custody and visitation, as well as guardianship matters. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Humphrey spent twenty-three years working in the Westchester County Attorney’s Office. He ended his tenure there as an Assistant Chief Deputy County Attorney in charge of the Family Court Bureau. As such, Judge Humphrey’s responsibilities included supervision and oversight of thirty Attorneys and six support staff. Judge Humphrey and the attorneys assigned to the Family Court Bureau were responsible for providing legal representation, counsel, and training to the Westchester County Department of Social Services as well as the Westchester County Department of Probation. During his time at the Westchester County Attorney’s Office, Judge Humphrey became an expert in Family Court Article 3 proceedings, Family Court Act Article 4, Family Court Act Article 7 proceedings and Family Court Act Article 10 and Social Service Law 384–b. Judge Humphrey and the attorneys assigned to the Juvenile Delinquency Unit were the sole prosecutors for all juvenile delinquency arrests made within the County of Westchester. Judge Humphrey had been responsible for prosecuting high profile juvenile delinquency cases as well as child protective cases including child sexual/physical abuse and child fatalities. He was the Project Manager for the Westchester County Child Fatality Review Team (CFRT) where the mission was to investigate child fatalities and recommend measures aimed to prevent future deaths of children. Judge Humphrey was also a part of the Family Court Ninth Judicial Executive Committee, the Westchester Girls Justice Initiative, and the Westchester County Court Improvement Project. He was also a Stake Holder in the Westchester County’s RTA Implementation Committee. Prior to his employment with the Westchester County Attorney’s Office, Judge Humphrey worked as an Attorney of Counsel in the office of Mays and Associates in Queens, New York. While there, he amassed vast experience in prosecuting and defending matters within Landlord and Tenant Court, Family Court, and Criminal Court in New York City. Judge Humphrey received his Juris Doctorate from Pace University School of Law and his Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from York College of the City University of New York. He has been a presenter for numerous organizations, including New York State County Attorneys’ Association, Westchester County’s Black Bar Association, Westchester County Youth Officers’ Association, New York State Juvenile Officers’ Association, and various Youth Bureaus within Westchester County. |
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Honorable Victoria Gumbs Moore Hon. Victoria Gumbs Moore was elected to Suffolk County Family Court. Judge Moore started her career in public service by working as the Executive Assistant to the Babylon Town Attorney. In 1998, she joined the staff of NYS Comptroller H. Carl McCall as the Long Island Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs and later served as his Legal Counsel. In 2001, Judge Moore began her employment in the NYS Court System as the Principal Law Clerk to the Hon. Theresa Whelan in Suffolk County Family Court. Through the years, Judge Moore has held membership and office in various civic and political organizations including the Central Long Island NAACP, the Town of Babylon Democratic Committee, the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association, the Mother’s Club of Wheatley Heights, and Sister’s in the Struggle. Judge Moore serves as a Nassau County Girl Scout Leader. Judge Moore received her Bachelor’s Degree at St. John’s University and her Juris Doctorate at Touro College Jacob D. Fuschberg Law Center. |
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Honorable Karen Bailey Turner Prior to being elected Monroe County Court judge, Hon. Karen Bailey Turner served as Associate Attorney, Mental Hygiene Legal Service, NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department. Judge Bailey Turner was also a former Associate Attorney at Brown & Hutchinson. She has also served as an Assistant Public Defender at Monroe County Public Defender’s Office. Judge Bailey Turner received her Juris Doctor from SUNY at Buffalo School of Law. |
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