New York Gets a New Chief Administrative Judge, Hon. Lawrence K. Marks

     As people wait for the next corruption arrest in New York State (and you won't have to wait too long !) (and involving NYS Court's system), there is a sense of relief and thanksgiving that the Hon. Lawrence K. Marks has been named the next Chief Administrative Judge.....  MORE.......
Here's the PRESS RELEASE:

New York State Unified Court System
Hon. A. Gail Prudenti Chief Administrative Judge

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: David Bookstaver Communications Director
Arlene Hackel, Deputy Director
(212) 428-2500  www.nycourts.gov/press

Date: July 29, 2015

Hon. Lawrence K. Marks Named Chief Administrative Judge

New York ─ Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman today announced the appointment of Hon. Lawrence K. Marks to the position of Chief Administrative Judge of the New York State court system. The appointment, which will take effect on July 31, was made with the approval of the Administrative Board of the Courts. Judge Marks succeeds Hon. A. Gail Prudenti, who is leaving her position as Chief Administrative Judge to serve as Executive Director of the Center for Children, Families and the Law at Hofstra University’s School of Law.

Chief Judge Lippman stated, “I am absolutely delighted that Judge Marks has agreed to serve as Chief Administrative Judge of the New York state courts. He is a highly accomplished judge and administrator who brings an array of talents and a wealth of institutional knowledge to this difficult assignment. Judge Marks has provided invaluable leadership as First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge since 2012 and over the course of an outstanding court career that spans more than two decades, helping implement crucial reforms to streamline court operations, enhance public access to the courts and trim case backlogs, among others. While I am heartened by the advances achieved during my tenure as Chief Judge to make the court system more efficient, accessible and transparent, more work remains toward ensuring equal justice for all New Yorkers and fostering public confidence in our justice system. Judge Marks is the best candidate to take on these enormous challenges. I have every confidence that his superb credentials, combined with his keen judgment, tireless work ethic and other fine attributes, will serve him well as we continue to make headway on so many critical issues, such as bail reform, juvenile justice reform and the elimination of New York’s justice gap, to name a few.”

Judge Marks said, “I am honored that Chief Judge Lippman has asked me to serve as Chief Administrative Judge and assume the myriad responsibilities of this challenging position. As Chief Administrative Judge, I will strive to further the Judiciary’s progress on key programs and efforts to promote a more efficient, accessible and equitable justice system that addresses the growing needs of New Yorkers in each of our 62 counties, including our most vulnerable residents. I look forward to working with the Chief Judge, the court system’s outstanding judges and non-judicial personnel, and our justice system partners as we build on our past successes and continue to find new ways to enhance the delivery and quality of justice statewide.”

Pursuant to Article VI, Section 28 of the New York State Constitution, the Chief Administrative Judge supervises the daily administration and operation of the Unified Court System, which has a budget of $2.5 billion, 3,600 state and locally paid judges, and 15,000 non- judicial employees in over 300 courthouses around the state. The Chief Administrative Judge is responsible for the performance, efficiency and productivity of every trial court in the state and works closely with the Chief Judge, Presiding Justices, Deputy Chief Administrative Judges and local administrative judges to review the performance of the courts, ensure the proper assignment of judges and court personnel, and implement policies and standards governing practice and procedure in the courts and the legal profession.

Judge Marks has performed a key management, policy and legal role in the state court system for many years, having participated in the development and implementation of countless programmatic and legislative initiatives over that period. In 2012, he was appointed First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge, the second-ranking administrative official in the court system. In that role, he assisted the Chief Judge and the Chief Administrative Judge in all aspects of the administration and operation of the Unified Court System, working with courts throughout the state to develop programs and strategies to address case delays, enhance case processing efficiency and otherwise improve the administration of justice. He also supervised the court system’s Office of Policy and Planning, which oversees the state’s problem-solving and specialized courts.

Prior to his appointment as First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge, he served from 2004 to 2011 as Administrative Director of the Office of Court Administration (OCA), responsible for day-to-day management of that office. He previously served from 1998 to 2003 as Special Counsel to the Chief Administrative Judge and from 1991 to 1997 as the OCA’s Deputy Counsel for Criminal Justice. Before joining the court system, he was a senior supervising attorney with the Legal Aid Society, in private practice and a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Thomas C. Platt.

Judge Marks is the editor and co-author of a leading treatise on New York Criminal Procedure Law, and the author of numerous government reports and several law review articles. He has also been an adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice graduate program. He graduated, with honors, from the State University of New York at Albany and Cornell Law School, where he was also an editor of the law review.

In 2009, he was appointed to the Court of Claims bench by then-Governor David Paterson; he was re-appointed to that position earlier this year by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Over the last several years, Judge Marks has handled an active caseload in the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court, New York County, and will continue to serve in that role along with his new duties as Chief Administrative Judge.

Judge Marks added, “It has been a privilege for me to work closely with Chief Administrative Judge Prudenti over the past four years. The New York Judiciary owes her a great debt of gratitude for her tireless work on behalf of the court system and the citizens of this state. While she will be sorely missed in the courts, I know that she will be a tremendous asset in her new role at Hofstra University’s School of Law. I wish her the very best and every continued success.”

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