New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges

Statement for Immediate Release:  June 26, 2014

Contacts– Coalition Co-Chairs:

Stephanie Gendell:  (646) 232-6721 sgendell@cccnewyork.org

Denise Kronstadt:  (845) 664-0200 justice@moderncourts.org

Coalition of Over 110 Organizations Applauds the Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches of Government

for their work on behalf of children and families

Today Governor Cuomo signed into law legislation (S7883/A10139), which adds 25 more Family Court Judges statewide.   The over 110 members of the New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges are extremely grateful to the Governor, the Legislature and the Judiciary for recognizing the overwhelming need for more Family Court Judges to reduce the delays children, victims of violence and families are currently facing.

The law adds 20 Family Court Judges starting January 2015:  9 in New York City (at least one per borough) and 1 Judge in the counties of Albany, Broome, Chautauqua, Franklin, Nassau, Oneida, Oswego, Schenectady, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester.  The law adds 5 more Family Court Judges to begin January 1, 2016 with one additional Judge in Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Monroe and Warren Counties.

“On behalf of the thousands of children and families represented by the over 110 members of the NYS Coalition for More Family Court Judges, I can say that today is a great day for New York’s children and families!  Governor Cuomo’s signature is the final step in this tremendous effort by the Governor, Judiciary, Legislature, advocates, and families to bring more Family Court Judges to counties throughout the state.  The 25 new Family Court Judgeships will go a long way towards helping to alleviate the backlog and enable the justice system to decide child welfare, juvenile justice, domestic violence, and custody cases more timely.” said Stephanie Gendell, Co-Chair of the New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges and Associate Executive Director for Policy and Government Relations at Citizens’ Committee for Children.

“This law achieves the largest investment in Family Court in 50 years.  It is an investment that directly benefits the thousands of children, families, and victims of domestic violence, who appear before the court seeking safety and justice under often unspeakable circumstances.   By recognizing the importance of providing more resources to Family Court, all three branches of government have come together, acknowledged the dire consequences of unequal justice and have addressed it with bipartisan support – that is a great achievement.  As co-chair of this hardworking coalition, whose members spend each day seeking justice for so many New Yorkers, I am proud of this outcome and continue to believe with clarity of purpose, our elected officials can do what’s right.” said Denise Kronstadt, Co-Chair of the New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges and Deputy Executive Director/Director of Advocacy at the Fund for Modern Courts.