New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges

Released June 17, 2014

Contacts — Coalition Co-Chairs:

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

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

Senate and Assembly Introduce Bills

Adding 25 Family Court Judges

Coalition of Over 110 Organizations Hopeful This Deal Will

Soon Pass the Legislature

With time running out this legislative session, both the Senate and the Assembly introduced the same bill last night, adding 25 more Family Court Judges statewide.  This gives the bill time to age and be voted on before session ends on Thursday.  The over 110 members of the New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges are extremely grateful that this agreement was reached and look forward to seeing the bill pass this week and then be signed into law by Governor Cuomo.

The bill (S7883/A10139) 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 bill adds 5 more Family Court Judges to begin January 1, 2016 with one additional Judge in Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Monroe and Warren Counties.

“The most vulnerable children, women and families depend on Family Court Judges to make critical decisions about how to keep them safe, where they will live, and when they will have visits with their parents, siblings and children. Despite the best efforts made every day throughout the state, there are just not enough Judges to be able to make these decisions timely.  Adding 25 additional Family Court Judges over the next 2 years will bring much-needed relief to families throughout New York State,” 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.

“New York’s families and children have waited far too long. The legislation to add 25 new Family Court Judges is essential to take on the serious challenge of addressing the current backlog that has led to long delays for families, victims of violence, and children– and has effectively closed the doors to justice for those who need the courts the most. The Coalition is grateful to the Legislature for agreeing to a bill to add 25 more Family Court Judges, and we look forward to the Legislature’s vote on the bill and the Governor’s support,” 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.

The New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges thanks Judiciary Chairs Senator John Bonacic and Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, as well as leaders of the Senate and Assembly, for their leadership in securing the introduction of the same bill in both houses.

The New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges is a coalition of over 100 organizations from all across New York State that has come together to ensure that New York State provides for more resources for Family Courts, including at least 20 more Family Court Judges statewide to provide justice for families.

New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges

1. Vivian Fox, President, 1199 Child Care Corporation
2. Assigned Counsel/Attorney for Children Panel, Kings County Family Court
3. Association of the Assigned Counsel of Queens Family Court
4. Bronx County Bar Association
5. Bronx Defenders
6. Bronx Family Court Bar Association
7. Brooklyn Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project
8. Brooklyn Defender Services
9. CASA of Rockland County, Inc.
10. CASA of the Southern Tier, Inc.
11. CASA-NYC
12. CASA-NYS
13. Center for Community Justice
14. Center for Family Representation
15. Child & Family Services
16. Child and Family Services Haven House
17. Children’s Defense Fund – New York
18. The Children’s Law Center
19. Child Welfare Organizing Project
20. Child Welfare Services, Westchester Institute for Human Development
21. The Children’s Agenda
22. The Children’s Aid Society
23. Children’s Rights
24. Citizens’ Committee for Children
25. Committee for Hispanic Children and Families
26. The Committee for Modern Courts
27. Correctional Association of New York
28. Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies
29. Courts in Crisis
30. Day One
31. The Door
32. Empire Justice Center
33. Episcopal Social Services of New York
34. Equinox
35. Erie County Coalition Against Family Violence
36. Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies
37. Forestdale, Inc.
38. Good Shepherd Services
39. Graham Windham
40. Haitian American Lawyers Association of New York, Inc. (HALANY)
41. Her Justice
42. Hiscock Legal Aid Society
43. Hope’s Door
44. Human Services Council
45. Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services
46. Jewish Child Care Association
47. Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York
48. Lawyers For Children
49. League of Women Voters of Broome and Tioga Counties
50. League of Women Voters of the City of New York
51. League of Women Voters of New York State (LWVNYS)
52. League of Women Voters of Schenectady County
53. League of Women Voters of Smithtown (Suffolk County)
54. Leake and Watts
55. The Legal Aid Society of New York
56. Legal Information for Families Today
57. The Legal Project
58. Legal Services for the Elderly, Disabled or Disadvantaged of Western NY, Inc.
59. The Lineage Project
60. Long Islanders for Youth (LIFY)
61. Mediation Matters
62. MercyFirst
63. MFY Legal Services
64. National Center for Access to Justice
65. The Network of Bar Leaders
66. New York Asian Women’s Center
67. New York Center for Juvenile Justice
68. New York City Anti-Violence Project
69. New York City Council General Welfare Chair, Stephen Levin
70. New York Foundling
71. New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG)
72. New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV)
73. New York State Court Officers Association
74. New York State LGBTQ Domestic Violence Network
75. New York State Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children
76. Northern Manhattan Improvement Corp.
77. NYU Family Defense Clinic
78. The Osborne Association
79. Pace Women’s Justice Center
80. Probono.net
81. RISE – Broome County
82. Safe Horizon
83. Safe Space NYC
84. St. Catherine’s Center for Children
85. The Safe Center LI, Inc.
86. Sanctuary for Families
87. Sauti Yetu Center for African Women
88. Schenectady Community Action Program, Inc.
89. Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy (SCAA)
90. Sepa Mujer
91. Staten Island Women’s Bar Association
92. United Neighborhood Houses
93. Unity House of Troy, Inc.
94. Urban Justice Center, Domestic Violence Project
95. Treat Me Right, Inc.
96. Vanderheyden
97. Vera House, Inc.
98. VIBS Family Violence & Rape Crisis Center
99. Violence Intervention Program, Inc.
100. Voices of Women Organizing Project (VOW)
101. Volunteer Lawyers Project of Onondaga County, Inc.
102. Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County, Inc.
103. The Washbourne House
104. Westchester Children’s Association
105. Western New York Law Center
106. Worker Justice Center of New York, Inc.
107. You Gotta Believe!
108. Youth Represent
109. YWCA of Northeastern New York

Website: http://moderncourts.org/advocacy/family-court-reform/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NYSCoalitionformorefamilycourtjudges

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