'Highly Qualified' List For Top Judicial Post Grows

10 Justices Found Highly Qualified for P.J. Post
The New York Law Journal by John Caher - June 6, 2012

Two more judges were found to be highly qualified for the position of presiding justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, bringing the number of judges in the running to at least 10, according to sources close to the process. Appellate Division, Second Department Justices Sheri Roman and Reinaldo Rivera were among the names of highly qualified judges forwarded by a screening panel to Governor Andrew Cuomo, who will name a successor to A. Gail Prudenti, who became chief administrative judge in December. The Law Journal has reported the names of the other judges on the list: Acting Presiding Justice William Mastro of the Second Department and five of his colleagues: Leonard Austin, Cheryl Chambers, Randall Eng, Robert Miller, and Peter Skelos. At least two First Department justices, Angela Mazzarelli and David Friedman, also were recommended, sources said (NYLJ, May 25). The governor expects to make an appointment this month, a source said. The governor must choose from among the candidates found highly qualified by 13-member screening panels in each department. Douglas Dunham of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom chairs the Second Department screening panel.

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At Least 8 Found 'Highly Qualified' for Presiding Justice, Sources Say
The New York Law Journal by John Caher - May 25, 2012

At least eight judges are apparently in the running for presiding justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, as a screening panel has forwarded to Governor Andrew Cuomo the names of judges it found "highly qualified" to succeed A. Gail Prudenti as leader of the Brooklyn appeals court. Several sources close to the process said the screening panel has advanced Acting Presiding Justice William Mastro of the Second Department and five of his colleagues: Leonard Austin, Cheryl Chambers, Randall Eng, Robert Miller and Peter Skelos. In addition, at least two First Department justices, Angela Mazzarelli and David Friedman, were recommended, sources said. The governor's counsel's office has concluded interviewing candidates with an eye toward making an appointment in June, a source said. The Second Department has been without a permanent presiding justice since last fall, when Prudenti became chief administrative judge and Mastro, as senior associate, automatically took over as acting presiding justice. The Brooklyn-based court, which is the busiest appellate court in the state, is the only one of the four departments that continues to operate with an acting presiding justice. In early April, Cuomo appointed Karen Peters as presiding justice of the Third Department to replace Acting Presiding Justice Thomas Mercure (NYLJ, April 6). Meanwhile, all four Appellate Division departments remain shorthanded, especially the Fourth Department in Rochester that is down 25 percent of its judges with three of 12 spots vacant. The First and Second departments are each down three of their 20 and 22 judges, respectively, and the Third is operating with one short of its full contingent of 12. Appellate Division justices are selected by the governor from the ranks of elected Supreme Court justices; acting Supreme Court justices are not eligible. The governor must choose from among the candidates found highly qualified by 13-member screening panels in each department. Douglas Dunham of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &  Flom chairs the Second Department screening panel. John Caher can be contacted at jcaher@alm.com