N EWSJURYPOOLN E W Y O R K S T A T E S U M M E R 2 0 0 5

A NEW YORK STATE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTING THE LATEST COURT INITIATIVES AND RELATED NEWS

Reaffirming her commit-ment to New York'songoing jury reform

program, Chief Judge JudithKaye launched a week-longtribute to America's jury systemlate last April in honor of LawDay, an annual celebration ofour nation's legal heritage.

“Throughout our history,juries have been a bedrock of ourjustice system and a unique oppor-tunity for every citizen to come intothe courts as a participant in thethird branch of government,” Judge Kayetold the crowd at this year's Law Day cere-mony at Albany's Court of Appeals, callingthe Law Day 2005 theme—the Americanjury—“one especially dear to my heart.”

Fostering Positive Attitudes ViaEducation

Alluding to jury-service enhancementsimplemented in New York over the pastdecade—from shorter terms of service tobetter juror pay—Judge Kaye vowed “tocontinue the spirit of reforms . . . so that ourprized jury system remains true to itshistoric objectives while serving the needsand expectations of modern-day society.”

Not only should jury service be an exer-cise in citizenship for the 650,000 NewYorkers who serve each year, but also “apositive, educational and even edifyingexperience that fortifies confidence andtrust in the courts and justice system,” saidthe Chief Judge, underscoring the need foreducational outreach to all segments ofsociety in informing citizens about theessential role juries play in our democracy.

“For many people, a jury summons is thepostal equivalent of getting pulled over bya state trooper . . . the first thing that runsthrough your head is, 'How am I going toget out of this?'” said Lieutenant GovernorMary O. Donohue, among the day's guest

Court Officer’s Lifesaving Gift . . . 3

Meet Juror Geraldine Copes-Daniels . . . . . . 4

Courts Celebrate Diversity . . . . . . 4

Court-Clergy Forum in Brooklyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Teen Justice Board GroomsFuture Policy-Makers . . . . . . . . . . 6

Dutch Law Students Tour NY Courts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Puzzle Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Also in this Issue

Judge Kaye flanked by winners of the court system's Law Day2005 awards for outstanding public service (left to right): lawclerk Carl Oropallo,Officer Gregory Gerner, Chief Clerk-Commissioner of Jurors Gloria Chandler, Lieutenant Tawya Youngand Officer Gary Diesel.

JURY SYSTEM PLAYS STARRING ROLEON LAW DAY

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COURT OF APPEALS HOSTS PUBLIC FORUM ON JURY SYSTEMStudents, academics, legal profes-sionals and members of the generalpublic shared insights on a range ofjury-related issues during anengaging exchange held this pastLaw Day at Albany's Court ofAppeals Hall. Manhattan triallawyer Mark Zauderer, head of ablue-ribbon panel dedicated toenhancing the jury experience forcitizens serving in New York's 62counties, led the interactive discus-sion, the first in a series ofcourthouse talks aimed at educatingNew Yorkers from all walks of lifeabout our jury system.

Eliciting audience participationon a variety of topics, from the rootsof the jury system (presented byAlbany Law School Professor DavidSiegel) to modern-day jury trialinnovations, Mr. Zauderer askedtrial attorneys as well as prosecutorswhat they look for in prospectivejurors. While a veteran trial lawyerreplied he seeks “mainstream citi-zens,” weeding out “those on thefringes, perhaps,” one local prose-cutor said she tries to determinewhether or not someone would beable to deliver a guilty verdict werethe prosecution to prove its casebeyond a reasonable doubt.

Mr. Zauderer also called onAlbany County Commissioner ofJurors John Diamond to explain thesummoning process. CommissionerDiamond said jury notices are sentout several weeks in advance to give

continued on page 2

P A G E 2 P A G E 3

LAW DAY- continued from page 1

WARM AND OUTGOING,SERGEANT ERINCORCORAN heartily greets regulars andvisitors to the Brooklyn SupremeCourt's administrative offices on abalmy morning last April. It's hard tobelieve that less than two summers agothis bubbly 15-year court veteran wasbedridden after giving her dad a life-saving gift—60 percent of her liver.

A retired New York City policeofficer, Erin's father, Jimmy, suffersfrom hemochromatosis, a hereditarydisorder that causes iron buildup inbody tissues, leading to liver disease,heart abnormalities and other life-threat-ening conditions. Erin is a carrier of thedisorder, and her paternal grandfather andall three paternal uncles—who were never tested for the disease—died young, succumbing to liver- and heart-related ailments.

Dad Reluctantly Accepts Donation

Since the liver transplant—which he reluctantly agreed to becauseof his concern for Erin's health if she were to undergo the proce-dure—Jimmy Corcoran has been able to trade in his hospital bedfor a beach chair on Florida's sunny shores.

“It's a recovery . . . but I'm still here, thanks to Erin,” says Mr.Corcoran, his voice tinged with emotion, speaking from his homein Florida. “He's doing great. We're very proud of Erin,” adds hermom, Janet.

Upon learning she was her dad's closest donor match—herbrother was also tested to determine his potential as a donor—Sergeant Corcoran was determined to go through withthe surgery. “I told my dad I was going to do it whether he agreedor not . . . We all knew his life depended on it,” states Erin matter-of-factly, adding that she feels very lucky to have a father who'sbeen such a positive influence in her life.

In fact, it was Jimmy who advised his daughter to pursue a career

in law enforcement. “My father inspiredme to become a court officer. I loveworking at the courthouse and servingthe public,” says the Brooklyn native,who over the years has held a variety ofposts at several of the borough's courtsites, earning a bachelor's degree alongthe way.

Back in the Groove

Erin required a four-month break fromher courthouse duties to recuperate fromthe operation. “They had to remove theliver very, very carefully for the trans-plant, which meant keeping the woundopen for several hours. I got pneumoniaas a result,” says the sergeant, whose liver

soon regenerated to 90 percent of its original size. Initially returning to work three months after the surgery, Erin

had to extend her leave by several more weeks. “The holster wheremy gun sits was pressing against the wound, and it was just toopainful,” she explains.

Even as she recovered from home, Erin managed to keep upwith her studies at Brooklyn Law School—where she's enrolledas a night student—with the school allowing her to take a reducedcourse load and providing online instruction. She took an extraclass this past semester to make up for the missed course workand plans to take the bar exam next year, with hopes of one dayrejoining the court system as an attorney.

Erin is undoubtedly back in the swing of things these days,juggling her job and studies while also squeezing in bimonthlyweekend visits to Florida to see her folks and boyfriend.

She met her new love through her parents. The son of Jimmyand Janet's friends, this Florida businessman was intent onmeeting Erin after hearing about her extraordinary gift to her dad.“My father adores him,” says a beaming Sergeant Corcoran, everthe loving daughter.

speakers and a former Supreme Court justice. The Lieutenant Governorsummoned members of the legal profession to “endeavor to improveand change those attitudes,” cautioning, “We must save the jury systemas an institution and individual liberty.

Law Day speaker Eliot Spitzer, the state's Attorney General, askedattendees “to think creatively and expansively” about potential juryreforms—such as allowing jurors to ask questions of witnesses andhaving judges issue simpler juror instructions—especially in today'sworld of increasingly complex civil litigation.

Calling for an open dialogue on the present system's merits and short-comings, the Attorney General said, “It is this spirit of debate andadaptation that has imbued our jury system with the dynamism tosurvive, and which has rendered it a uniquely American institution.”

Taking up Mr. Spitzer's advice to engage in frank discussion aboutour jury system, Judge Kaye invited the Law Day celebrants to join herimmediately following the ceremony for a dialogue on the Americanjury, the first in a series of courthouse talks held around the state lastspring to raise public awareness about this cornerstone of our democ-racy (see sidebar on pages 1-2).

Court Employees HonoredOther speakers at the Law Day ceremony included New York State BarPresident Kenneth Standard, who talked about the vital link betweenjudicial independence and an effective jury system, and Chief Admin-istrative Judge Jonathan Lippman, who carried out an annual Law Daytradition, presenting several remarkable court employees with the courtsystem's 2005 merit awards for their outstanding contributions to ourlocal courts and communities.

Among the recipients of this year's merit awards were a court officer-lieutenant who is a role model to at-risk youth, a dedicated chief clerkwho continued to go beyond the call of duty even as she battled cancer,a law clerk acknowledged for his humanitarian efforts and a pair ofcourt officers who risked their lives to save residents trapped in aburning apartment complex.

The Court of Appeals ceremony was one of numerous courthousetributes to the American jury and New York's jurors that took placestatewide from late April through early May to commemorate Law Day 2005.

Sergeant Erin Corcoran at the Supreme Courthousein downtown Brooklyn

COURT OFFICER GIVES DAD SPECIAL GIFTjurors time to rearrange schedules or request a post-ponement, if necessary. “We like to deal with thejuror . . . We are willing to accommodate theirneeds, and they in turn are willing to fulfill theircivic responsibilities,” he added.

Querying former jurors on their experiences inshedding light on the jury selection process and jurydeliberations, Mr. Zauderer also invited partici-pants to share their views on experimental trialpractices like allowing jurors to take notes andsubmit written questions for witnesses.

Several students had conflicting opinions on jurornote-taking, though a former juror said she favoredthe approach, considering it a helpful tool inkeeping track of one's impressions of witnesses andother details. With regard to permitting jurors tosubmit written questions to be asked of witnesses,an attorney in the audience thought the practicecould serve to enlighten lawyers as to what pointsare getting across to members of the jury.

“I thank you for joining us and would be mostproud and honored if any of you served on a juryin a case that I was privileged to try,” Mr. Zauderertold the group at the close of the 60-minute forum.Joking that she wasn't going to let Mr. Zaudererhave the last word, Chief Judge Judith Kaye, whosat in on the discussion, called it “an extraordinaryhour.” “I'm especially pleased we ended on . . . whatwe think of as novel ideas at the moment,” sheadded, making reference to juror note-taking andother such trial innovations that are being pilotedin courts around the state.

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The Court of Appeals, New York's highest tribunal, helda one-day session on April 14, marking its first official visitto the Niagara Frontier since the nineteenth century. Oralarguments on five Erie County cases were heard by theseven-member court (pictured here from left to right:Associate Judges Susan Phillips Read, Albert Rosenblattand George Bundy Smith, Chief Judge Judith Kaye, andAssociate Judges Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, VictoriaGraffeo and Robert Smith) in the ceremonial courtroomof Buffalo's Old County Hall.

COURT OF APPEALS VISITS BUFFALO

COURT OR APPEALS- continued from page 1

Moderator Mark Zauderer, a trial attorney, and town hall attendeeslisten as a participant adds to the engaging public forum on theAmerican jury at Albany's Court of Appeals Hall last spring. Kicking offa week-long tribute to New York jurors, the event was the first in aseries of courthouse dialogues on the jury system held around thestate from late April through early May.

INTERESTED IN SHARING YOUR JURYEXPERIENCE WITH OUR READERS?

We’d like to hear from you. We also welcome any comments about thenewsletter as well as story ideas for future issues.

Please send juror anecdotes, newsletter suggestions and story ideas to:

Arlene Hackel, NYS Unified Court System 25 Beaver Street, Suite 867, New York, NY 10004

E-mail address: ahackel@courts.state.ny.us

Jury Pool News is published quarterly by the New York State Unified Court System

P A G E 3

WARM AND OUTGOING,SERGEANT ERINCORCORAN heartily greets regulars andvisitors to the Brooklyn SupremeCourt's administrative offices on abalmy morning last April. It's hard tobelieve that less than two summers agothis bubbly 15-year court veteran wasbedridden after giving her dad a life-saving gift—60 percent of her liver.

A retired New York City policeofficer, Erin's father, Jimmy, suffersfrom hemochromatosis, a hereditarydisorder that causes iron buildup inbody tissues, leading to liver disease,heart abnormalities and other life-threat-ening conditions. Erin is a carrier of thedisorder, and her paternal grandfather andall three paternal uncles—who were never tested for the disease—died young, succumbing to liver- and heart-related ailments.

Dad Reluctantly Accepts Donation

Since the liver transplant—which he reluctantly agreed to becauseof his concern for Erin's health if she were to undergo the proce-dure—Jimmy Corcoran has been able to trade in his hospital bedfor a beach chair on Florida's sunny shores.

“It's a recovery . . . but I'm still here, thanks to Erin,” says Mr.Corcoran, his voice tinged with emotion, speaking from his homein Florida. “He's doing great. We're very proud of Erin,” adds hermom, Janet.

Upon learning she was her dad's closest donor match—herbrother was also tested to determine his potential as a donor—Sergeant Corcoran was determined to go through withthe surgery. “I told my dad I was going to do it whether he agreedor not . . . We all knew his life depended on it,” states Erin matter-of-factly, adding that she feels very lucky to have a father who'sbeen such a positive influence in her life.

In fact, it was Jimmy who advised his daughter to pursue a career

in law enforcement. “My father inspiredme to become a court officer. I loveworking at the courthouse and servingthe public,” says the Brooklyn native,who over the years has held a variety ofposts at several of the borough's courtsites, earning a bachelor's degree alongthe way.

Back in the Groove

Erin required a four-month break fromher courthouse duties to recuperate fromthe operation. “They had to remove theliver very, very carefully for the trans-plant, which meant keeping the woundopen for several hours. I got pneumoniaas a result,” says the sergeant, whose liver

soon regenerated to 90 percent of its original size. Initially returning to work three months after the surgery, Erin

had to extend her leave by several more weeks. “The holster wheremy gun sits was pressing against the wound, and it was just toopainful,” she explains.

Even as she recovered from home, Erin managed to keep upwith her studies at Brooklyn Law School—where she's enrolledas a night student—with the school allowing her to take a reducedcourse load and providing online instruction. She took an extraclass this past semester to make up for the missed course workand plans to take the bar exam next year, with hopes of one dayrejoining the court system as an attorney.

Erin is undoubtedly back in the swing of things these days,juggling her job and studies while also squeezing in bimonthlyweekend visits to Florida to see her folks and boyfriend.

She met her new love through her parents. The son of Jimmyand Janet's friends, this Florida businessman was intent onmeeting Erin after hearing about her extraordinary gift to her dad.“My father adores him,” says a beaming Sergeant Corcoran, everthe loving daughter.

Sergeant Erin Corcoran at the Supreme Courthousein downtown Brooklyn

COURT OFFICER GIVES DAD SPECIAL GIFT

The Court of Appeals, New York's highest tribunal, helda one-day session on April 14, marking its first official visitto the Niagara Frontier since the nineteenth century. Oralarguments on five Erie County cases were heard by theseven-member court (pictured here from left to right:Associate Judges Susan Phillips Read, Albert Rosenblattand George Bundy Smith, Chief Judge Judith Kaye, andAssociate Judges Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, VictoriaGraffeo and Robert Smith) in the ceremonial courtroomof Buffalo's Old County Hall.

COURT OF APPEALS VISITS BUFFALO

P A G E 4

Not only was jury serviceeducational for Rochester resi-dent Geraldine Copes-Daniels,

it came with an unexpected bonus: acourthouse display on the city's role inthe antislavery movement featuringprominent abolitionists, including thisfirst-time juror's beloved great-grandaunt, the legendary HarrietTubman.

“I was so pleased to see this wonderfulexhibit right in the central jury room,”says Ms. Copes-Daniels, an elegantgreat-grandmother whose Aunt Harrietwas one of the premier “conductors” ofthe Underground Railroad, the looselyorganized network that helped over onehundred thousand fugitive slaves reach safety in the free states,Mexico and Canada in pre-Civil War America.

Lately, Ms. Copes-Daniels has been traveling the state andcountry in keeping alive the legacy of this Maryland-born slavewho over a ten-year period completed 13 perilous trips fromsouth to north, escorting some 70 runaway slaves, also servingas scout, spy and nurse for the Union before settling in Auburn,New York, about 65 miles southeast of Rochester.

“I always think about her bravery, going back and forth with abounty on her head, and her Civil War days as a nurse andsoldier . . . Aunt Harriet has taken me this far,” says the Auburn,

New York, native who following her jurorstint was among the guest speakers at theRochester County Court's Black HistoryMonth celebration this past February.

“Ms. Copes-Daniels is such a graciouswoman and expressed an interest insharing with us information and anec-dotes about her Aunt Harriet,” explainsMonroe County Commissioner of JurorsCharles Perreaud, who coordinated thewell-attended courthouse program, highlighting Rochester's history as a keystop on the Underground Railroad.

Looking forward to participating in more such courthouse events, Ms.Copes-Daniels is also hoping to get theopportunity to sit on a case the next time

she's called for jury service.

Despite her disappointment over not being selected for a trialthis time around, the recent juror found the experience to bemost enriching. “I learned a lot about the role of jurors and thejury selection process, and also met many interesting people,”says the resilient mother of nine.

Ms. Copes-Daniels surmises that the late Ms. Tubman wouldsurely have been proud of her recent jury service. Adds this grand-daughter of Harriet Tubman's favorite niece, “Aunt Harrietwould tell each of us as citizens to come out and exercise thisimportant right.”

JURY SERVICE LINKS ROCHESTER RESIDENT TO HER PAST

Rochester juror Geraldine Copes-Daniels at a street-naming ceremony in Brooklyn,New York, for great-grandaunt Harriet Tubman, the legendary abolitionist.

Celebrating Diversity in the CourtsChief Judge Judith Kaye in New York City last May following aceremony for recipients of the courts' 2005 Diversity Awards (leftto right): Bronx attorney Alan Friedberg, Buffalo City Court JudgeE. Jeannette Ogden, Buffalo Senior Court Reporter SandraScruggs, Manhattan Supreme Court Chief Court Reporter RossUpshaw, and Captain Luz Bryan of Kings County SupremeCourt. The annual awards, sponsored by thecourts' Commission on Judicial Minorities,honor members of the legal community fortheir outstanding contributions to theadvancement of justice and racial harmony.

Earning special recognition awards for their pursuit of a truly diverse workplace and equal justice under thelaw were First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Ann Pfau, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for NewYork City Courts Joan Carey, and Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives Juanita BingNewton (pictured here), who also serves as the administrative judge for New York City Criminal Court.

P A G E 4 P A G E 5

REFLECTING THE BOROUGH'S RICHCULTURAL DIVERSITY, Brooklyn SupremeCourt's recent clergy roundtable broughttogether spiritual leaders of all faiths eagerto learn how to better assist their congre-gants in navigating the court system.

The April talk between local membersof the clergy and judiciary, which focusedon courts that take a less traditional,problem-solving approach to cases, wasthe fourth in a series that to date has alsoaddressed the arrest-to-arraignmentprocess, immigration and domesticviolence.

Kicking off the forum, AdministrativeJudge Neil Firetog informed the 50-plusreligious and community leaders in atten-dance that problem-solving courts, unliketheir more traditional counterparts, seekto address those issues routinely at theroot of low-level offenses, with the goal ofreducing recidivism. “We're looking atwhy that individual got into troubleand how we can prevent the personfrom committing that crime again,” he emphasized.

Community Involvement is Key

Christopher Watler of the Center forCourt Innovation, the court system'sresearch arm, discussed some of thefactors spurring the development of theseinnovative courts, which rely on commu-nity partnerships and typically targetnonviolent offenders, offering them inter-mediate sanctions such as drug treatmentin lieu of jail.

“The big picture is that we've gotincreased caseloads in the state courts,defendants increasingly coming to thecourts with social problems, low publicconfidence in the courts and rising incar-ceration costs . . . greater engagement ofcommunities is where we're going. It's ahallmark of problem-solving courts,” he said.

Judge Alex Calabrese provided atten-dees an overview of community courts,tribunals that take a proactive approach

to quality of life offenses and like themulti-jurisdictional Red HookCommunity Justice Center overwhich he presides may also offer local residents remedies to housing,domestic violence and other problems.

“For serious cases like murder andrape, you need to remove that personfrom society . . . but unless you getto the root cause of offenses likeshoplifting, nothing changes, withdefendants essentially doing lifesentences 30 days at a time. Communitycourts give these people a chance to getback on track, reducing incarcerationcosts, cutting down on future arrests, andaddressing social ills,” said the jurist.

Jo-Ann Ferdinand shared some wisdomon the recovery process for drug addictsand alcoholics based on her nine years aspresiding judge of the Brooklyn Treat-ment Court, where nonviolent,substance-abusing offenders may opt forjudicially monitored treatment as an alter-native to jail.

“Drug court participants learn conse-quential thinking by appearing regularlybefore a judge. Many have medical prob-lems and need job training and education.It's a whole-life problem, and that's whereall of you come in,” she told the commu-nity leaders.

“We used to say 'lock them up andthrow away the key,' but society is nowbeginning to realize there's a better way tohandle these cases,” said Judge MatthewD'Emic, who presides over Brooklyn'sMental Health Court, an experimentaltribunal that in appropriate cases offersmentally ill offenders treatment in lieu of jail.

Mental Health Court participants musttake a plea, with the charges dismissed ifthey succeed in treatment, Judge D'Emicexplained, reporting that some 80 percentof the 100-plus Mental Health Courtdefendants currently in treatment are incompliance.

After learning about the variousproblem-solving courts, clergy membersasked the judges how the courts andclergy could work together to better servethe needs of the community, with Mr.Watler offering to arrange visits to the RedHook community court to “spur ideas.”

Responding to a participant's request tobring court resources into the localcongregations, Brooklyn Supreme CourtJudge Cheryl Chambers, one of the coor-dinators of the roundtable series,promised to explore the potential formore community-based programs.

Discussion Yields Concrete Ideas

Judge Chambers also advised the religiousleaders to look into federal grantscurrently available to faith-based institu-tions for juvenile reentry programs andother such initiatives. “Perhaps we shouldhave a future panel discussion on this,with grant writers and other experts,” sheproposed.

Titus Rich, Jr., a Christian minister andthe director of a mediation center,suggested training more men and womenof the cloth to mediate disputes. “Asclergy, we're in a unique position. Peoplecome to us before they come to court,” he said.

Other attendees expressed an interest inattaining expertise in the areas of domesticviolence and juvenile delinquency, andthere was also talk of setting up teams ofcongregants to mentor local youthcharged with nonviolent crimes.

Not only was jury serviceeducational for Rochester resi-dent Geraldine Copes-Daniels,

it came with an unexpected bonus: acourthouse display on the city's role inthe antislavery movement featuringprominent abolitionists, including thisfirst-time juror's beloved great-grandaunt, the legendary HarrietTubman.

“I was so pleased to see this wonderfulexhibit right in the central jury room,”says Ms. Copes-Daniels, an elegantgreat-grandmother whose Aunt Harrietwas one of the premier “conductors” ofthe Underground Railroad, the looselyorganized network that helped over onehundred thousand fugitive slaves reach safety in the free states,Mexico and Canada in pre-Civil War America.

Lately, Ms. Copes-Daniels has been traveling the state andcountry in keeping alive the legacy of this Maryland-born slavewho over a ten-year period completed 13 perilous trips fromsouth to north, escorting some 70 runaway slaves, also servingas scout, spy and nurse for the Union before settling in Auburn,New York, about 65 miles southeast of Rochester.

“I always think about her bravery, going back and forth with abounty on her head, and her Civil War days as a nurse andsoldier . . . Aunt Harriet has taken me this far,” says the Auburn,

New York, native who following her jurorstint was among the guest speakers at theRochester County Court's Black HistoryMonth celebration this past February.

“Ms. Copes-Daniels is such a graciouswoman and expressed an interest insharing with us information and anec-dotes about her Aunt Harriet,” explainsMonroe County Commissioner of JurorsCharles Perreaud, who coordinated thewell-attended courthouse program, highlighting Rochester's history as a keystop on the Underground Railroad.

Looking forward to participating in more such courthouse events, Ms.Copes-Daniels is also hoping to get theopportunity to sit on a case the next time

she's called for jury service.

Despite her disappointment over not being selected for a trialthis time around, the recent juror found the experience to bemost enriching. “I learned a lot about the role of jurors and thejury selection process, and also met many interesting people,”says the resilient mother of nine.

Ms. Copes-Daniels surmises that the late Ms. Tubman wouldsurely have been proud of her recent jury service. Adds this grand-daughter of Harriet Tubman's favorite niece, “Aunt Harrietwould tell each of us as citizens to come out and exercise thisimportant right.”

JURY SERVICE LINKS ROCHESTER RESIDENT TO HER PAST

Rochester juror Geraldine Copes-Daniels at a street-naming ceremony in Brooklyn,New York, for great-grandaunt Harriet Tubman, the legendary abolitionist.

Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Cheryl Chambers (left)with Jo-Ann Ferdinand, presiding judge of the borough'streatment court, and Matthew D'Emic,who presides overBrooklyn's mental health court, during last spring's court-clergy roundtable discussion at Supreme Court indowntown Brooklyn.

COURT-CLERGY TALK PARTICIPANTS

PONDER WAYS TO BETTER SERVE LOCALS

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Celebrating Diversity in the CourtsChief Judge Judith Kaye in New York City last May following aceremony for recipients of the courts' 2005 Diversity Awards (leftto right): Bronx attorney Alan Friedberg, Buffalo City Court JudgeE. Jeannette Ogden, Buffalo Senior Court Reporter SandraScruggs, Manhattan Supreme Court Chief Court Reporter RossUpshaw, and Captain Luz Bryan of Kings County SupremeCourt. The annual awards, sponsored by thecourts' Commission on Judicial Minorities,honor members of the legal community fortheir outstanding contributions to theadvancement of justice and racial harmony.

Earning special recognition awards for their pursuit of a truly diverse workplace and equal justice under thelaw were First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Ann Pfau, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for NewYork City Courts Joan Carey, and Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives Juanita BingNewton (pictured here), who also serves as the administrative judge for New York City Criminal Court.

P A G E 6

WHO BETTER TO HAVE A SAY IN HOW SOCIETY CAN MOREEFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES SURROUNDING JUVENILEDELINQUENCY THAN OUR OWN YOUTH? This is the common-sense premise of the New York City Youth Justice Board,a team of youngsters who study and propose solu-tions to youth-related public safety problems anda project of the Center for Court Innovation,the court system's research arm.

“The Youth Justice Board basically acts asa think tank, making policy recommenda-tions based on investigation,” says DoryHack, a program manager for the Center ofCourt Innovation who's worked closelywith teens involved in the project since thefirst board's launching in 2004.

The 2004 teen board, comprising 16 young-sters from high schools located throughout NewYork City, chose to study juvenile reentry uponlearning that 75 percent of all youth released from statecustody are rearrested within three years, reports Ms.Hack, explaining that the teen members attendedbiweekly after-school sessions and Saturday workshopsto hone their analytical, leadership and other skills.

Study Yields Specific Proposals

Based on the data the board members gathered from interviewswith city and state officials, youth workers, scholars and reentryyouth and their families, the high-schoolers produced a formalreport—complete with policy recommendations—with theirfindings now being reviewed by policy-makers in the educationand juvenile justice arenas.

Board suggestions for preventing recidivism among reentryyouth include linking these at-risk youngsters to job training andmentoring programs, offering them assistance in catching up onmath, reading and other skills in preparation for their return toschool, and providing their family members counseling and othersupport in facilitating their transition back into the home. Theteen investigators also recommended better coordination amongthe various city and state agencies and local service providers intracking warning signs of recidivism and otherwise preventingthese troubled youngsters from slipping through the cracks.

Influencing a New Generation of Movers and Shakers

Along with yielding a substantive report proposing specificactions to be taken in reducing recidivism among juvenileoffenders, the Youth Justice Board is proving a solid trainingground for youngsters looking to make a positive difference inour world, as 2004 members Shane “A.J.” Correia and LeShaunLovell will readily affirm.

“Membership in the Youth Justice Board is one of those eventsthat kind of shape who you become. Members get involved in

every phase of the project and are encouraged toturn whatever skills they may be weak in

into strengths,” notes Mr. Correia, astudent at Manhattan's Jacqueline

Kennedy Onassis High School ofInternational Careers bent ontraveling the world andexploring different cultures.

“It was a truly personal expe-rience that has helped me in somany ways, from being betterorganized to interacting as part

of a group,” observes Ms.Lovell, a singer-poet-writerand senior at Brooklyn Tech-nical High School who alongwith Mr. Correia volunteeredto help this year's boardmembers, an entirely newgroup of teens, with a studyon school safety.

The initial youth board'ssuccess spawned this latest investigative team of New York Cityteens, with Mr. Correia and Ms. Lovell providing them and theirCenter for Court Innovation mentors insights on interviewingand other strategies.

With the 2005 Youth Justice Board's report on school safetyjust around the corner and news of policy changes and otherreforms anticipated as a result of the 2004 juvenile reentry study,Mr. Correira believes “the sky's the limit” when it comes to topicalyouth-related issues for subsequent teen boards to examine.

“How about the disparities in educational quality amongschools in and around New York City? Now, that's a good topicfor a future Youth Justice Board study,” he adds reflectively.

COURTS' RESEARCH EXPERTS GROOM FUTURE POLICY-MAKERS

Youth Justice Board alumni Shane Correia andLeShaun Lovell at the Center for Court Innovation'sManhattan offices.

“Membership in the Youth Justice Board is one

of those events that kind of shape who you

become. Members get involved . . . and are

encouraged to turn whatever skills they may

be weak in into strengths.”

- 2004 YOUTH JUSTICE BOARD MEMBERSHANE CORREIA

P A G E 7

Agroup of law students from Holland pointed out someof the differences and similarities between their legal system

and ours on a recent tour of the landmark Supreme Courthousein lower Manhattan, part of a Dutch state university interna-tional study project with a focus on commercial law that alsoincluded visits to several New York City-based Dutch andAmerican law firms.

“The appeals process is very much like ours, but the biggestdifference is that we don't have a jury system in Holland. Allcases are decided by a panel of judges,” several of the studentsexplained to a court employee during the visit, some just aftertaking a seat in the jury box for the very first time, by invitationof tour guide Yasmin Beydoun.

A Comprehensive View

A senior court clerk at the New York City court, Ms. Beydoun hasshown hundreds of domestic and international visitors—fromstudents to dignitaries—around the courthouse over the past year,sharing with them her expertise on court structure, the elementsof a trial and other relevant topics.

The morning of the Dutch students' arrival, Ms. Beydounsecured a visible position in the court's majestic rotunda, greetingthe group as they passed through the court's magnetometers. Aftertaking in the rotunda's spectacular mural, depicting the history oflaw from Assyrian times through the nineteenth century, thestudents met with Pablo Rivera, clerk-in-charge of the ManhattanSupreme Court's Commercial Division, a specialized part devotedexclusively to complex business litigation.

“Many of our cases have international implications, with defen-dants and plaintiffs hailing from various parts of the world. It getsexpensive to go to trial, so we have 250 volunteer attorneys tomediate commercial cases,” said Mr. Rivera, as the studentslistened intently. Citing some of the part's more common casescenarios, Mr. Rivera informed the Dutch contingent, “We've gotinternational cases involving the theft of intellectual property, andcases of employees who download client lists or steal trade secretsbefore leaving the company.”

Following their talk with Mr. Rivera, the students moved on toanother courtroom where they tried out the various seatingarrangements—from the jury box to the judge's bench—as Ms.

Beydoun provided an overview of America's judicial system,including the different courtroom roles, the steps of a trial and thefundamentals of our jury system.

Intrigued by the voir dire process, several students wanted toknow what sort of questions attorneys are allowed to ask prospec-tive jurors.

“In a criminal case, an attorney may want to know if a potentialjuror has a personal association with the police department orcriminal justice system, or was ever the victim of a crime,” Ms.Beydoun told them, also explaining how citizens are summonedfor jury service and what's expected of jurors once they're selectedfor a trial.

Students Express Curiosity About Jury System

“Do famous people serve?” asked another of the students. “Wehave celebrity jurors, like the former New York City mayor,Rudolph Giuliani. No one is exempt from serving,” Ms. Beydounemphasized.

By the end of the tour, the group also got a glimpse into thearraignment process and sat in on a criminal trial. Commentingon his visit to the New York City courthouse, student Joris Luijster-burg, who helped arrange the tour for his peers, said, “I learned alot about the jury system and found the Commercial Division veryinteresting.”

Aspiring Dutch lawyer Marleen Zandbergen also gained a lotfrom the visit, including a somewhat new perspective on the Amer-ican jury, concluding, “Now that I've learned more about yourjury system, I think that television and movies often mislead thepublic by presenting juries as unreliable.”

DUTCH LAWYERS-TO-BE GAIN

INSIGHTS ON U.S. LEGAL SYSTEM

Senior Court Clerk Yasmin Beydoun giving Dutch law students a crash courseon New York's judiciary and the American jury system.

Roundtable participants Mohammad Razvi and Emanuel Weiser, who haveattended several of the Brooklyn court-clergy talks, say these give-and-takeexchanges provide vital information totake back to their respective communities.

“To be able to explain to those we serve,many of whom face language and otherbarriers, the remedies to which they areentitled in domestic violence, elder careand other cases, is very helpful,” says Mr.Weiser, a New York Police Departmentliaison to Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish

community. Adds Mr. Razvi, executivedirector of a Brooklyn organization thatprovides an array of services to low-income families of South Asian descent,“These gatherings enable us to point ourconstituents on the right path in accessingthe legal system.”

COURT-CLERGY TALK- continued from page 5

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C O U R T S I D E C R O S S W O R D

P A G E 8

Questions, comments or suggestions about the jury system? Call 1-800-NY-JUROR, e-mail us at nyjuror @courts.state.ny.us or write to Chief Judge Judith Kaye, Continuing Jury Reform, 25 Beaver Street, New York NY 10004

STUMPED? CHECK OUT HTTP://SOLUTION.NYJUROR.GOV FOR SOLUTION TO PUZZLE

ACROSS

1. Swiss mountains5. Sandwich order, for

short8. Fixes, as bail

12. Engage in chatter15. Old-fashioned term for

boyfriend16. Frying need17. Threesome18. Monica, of the tennis

world20. Tribunal for cases

brought against NewYork State: 3 words

23. Between, to Pierre24. “And last, but not __ . . .”25. Start of many a fairy tale26. Pawn27. Land parcel28. Carbonated beverage29. With 44-Across, Latin

for “mark well”

30. Serving aids 33. One of the Cartwright

sons on classic TV's“Bonanza”

34. Hammer or screwdriver35. Skirt bottom38. The late President

Reagan, for short39. Centerpiece for a dining

table, perhaps40. Actress-singer Midler41. Had a meal42. Still43. Year, in Madrid44. See 29-Across45. Zubin, of orchestral fame47. Performed, as a task48. Mature49. One of Isaac's sons50. Process by which jurors

reach a verdict55. Without delay:

abbreviation57. Stratford-upon-__,

Shakespeare's birthplace

58. Stoolie59. World, in Barcelona60. Smile61. __ King Cole62. Hit á la 18-Across65. Gold, in Acapulco66. Word with “trap” or

“wool”68. It's one of the core

subjects69. Tooth specialists' group:

abbreviation70. Fido's “foot”71. Charged atoms72. Scholarly book73. More recent75. To __,precisely:2 words76. Descartes or Russo77. Swindle78. Creator of world-popular

amusement park ride81. At this place82. Do's and __,a guide of

sorts84. Good, in Rome

85. One who providestrial transcripts:2words

89. Scoutmaster in the2004 remake,“TheManchurianCandidate”

90. __ facto91. Laura Bush __ Welch92. Merit93. Suffix for some sugars94. Bambi,e.g.95. Do an accountant's

work96. Watches closely

DOWN

1. Alphabeticalsequence

2. Fifth sign of thezodiac

3. One of the apostles4. Certainly5. Elevate6. See 5-Down7. What Mom ministers

to ailing familymembers:abbreviation

8. Gets up 9. Susan Lucci role

10. What clocks keep11. Distress signal12. Christopher

Columbus was born here

13. Member of the choir14. Floating mass of ice18. Successful outcome

of mediation19. Use one of the

senses21. New Mexican resort22. Relaxed26. Chimney residue28. Mediocre: hyphenated

word29. Memo 30. Attempt31. Caviar32. Industrious insect33. Prefix with “work” or

“craft”34. Principle35. Laughter sound:

hyphenated word36. —Brute, Julius

Caesar's partingwords, according tosome historians: 2words

37. __ culpa, formal admission ofpersonal fault

39. Colorado's alpineparadise

40. Started44. Nobleman46. Curvy letter47. Witness's pre-trial

testimony50. Father's Day

honoree51. Uncovers52. Sinister53. Angry54. Jurors are under this55. Atmosphere56. Winter precipitation59. Floor-cleaning tool60. Hereditary unit61. Appoint62. Courts uphold it63. Lyric poem64. Legal profession67. They're part of your

feet68. “Water Lilies”

painter72. Fear73. Something

unacceptable:hyphenated word

74. Main course75. Governor

Schwarzenegger, tohis buddies

76. Employ a secondtime

77. Dealt (with)78. National security

agency: abbreviation79. Currency of Spain

and France, amongother countries

80. Uses oars81. Expect82. Property owner's

document83. Judge's order,

perhaps85. El __,of medieval

Spain 86. Carrier of genetic

information:abbreviation

87. Poet's “before”88. Certain medical

professionals:abbreviation