New York Court of Appeals justice vacancy (March 2021)
| New York Court of Appeals |
|---|
 |
| Feinman vacancy |
| Date: March 23, 2021 |
| Status: Seat filled |
| Nomination |
| Nominee: Anthony Cannataro |
| Date: May 25, 2021 |
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) appointed Anthony Cannataro to the New York Court of Appeals on May 25, 2021. Cannataro succeeded Justice Paul G. Feinman, who retired on March 23, 2021, to attend to health concerns.[1] Feinman passed away on March 31, 2021.[2] Cannataro was Gov. Cuomo's ninth nominee to the seven-member supreme court.[3]
At the time of the vacancy, New York Court of Appeals justices were appointed by the governor from a list of candidates provided by a judicial nominating commission, pending confirmation from the New York Senate. Justices served 14-year terms.
Ballotpedia has compiled the following resources on the process to fill the New York Supreme Court vacancy:
- An overview of the appointee.
- A list of candidates who applied to the vacancy.
- An overview of the selection process.
- An overview of the court following the vacancy.
- An overview of the justice who left office.
- A list of other state supreme court appointments in 2021.
The appointee
- See also: Anthony Cannataro
Anthony Cannataro earned a bachelor's degree from Columbia University. He earned a J.D. from New York Law School.[3]
Cannataro has served as an administrative judge with the New York City Civil Court. He was appointed to the position by chief administrative judge Lawrence K. Marks in 2018. Cannataro has served as a judge with the New York Supreme Court. He was elected to the judgeship in 2017. From 2016 to 2018, Cannataro was appointed as a supervising judge with the New York City Civil Court. He was designated as an acting Supreme Court justice in New York County from 2015 to 2016. From 2014 to 2015, Cannataro served as a judge with the Bronx County Civil Court. He was designated as a judge with the Kings County Family Court from 2012 to 2014. From 2012 to 2017, Cannataro was elected to serve as a judge with the New York County Civil Court.[3]
Prior to his judicial service, Cannataro was a principal law clerk to New York State Supreme Court Judge Lottie E. Wilkins from 2003 to 2011. He served as a principal law clerk to New York State Court of Appeals Justice Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick from 2000 to 2003. Cannataro was an assistant corporation counsel and senior counsel with the Manhattan Trial Unit of the Office of the Corporation Counsel at the New York City Law Department from 1996 to 2000.[3]
Appointee candidates and nominations
Ballotpedia will post information on candidates and prospective appointees as information becomes available. If you know of information that should be included here, please email us.
Applicants
The New York Commission on Judicial Nomination selected seven candidates to fill the state supreme court seat.[4]
- Attorney in private practice Michael S. Bosworth
- New York 1st Judicial District Supreme Court Judge Anthony Cannataro
- New York County Supreme Court, Civil Term and the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department in the 1st Judicial District Judge Judith J. Gische
- Attorney in private practice Caitlin J. Halligan
- New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division Judge Erin Peradotto
- New York Court of Claims Judge Denise Hartman
- New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division Judge Troy K. Webber
The selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in New York
At the time of the vacancy, the seven justices of the New York Court of Appeals served 14-year terms. They were appointed by the governor from a list of candidates provided by a judicial nominating commission, pending confirmation from the New York Senate.[5]
Upon the expiration of their terms, judges were required to reapply for appointment and were considered alongside other applicants.[5]
Makeup of the court
- See also: State of New York Court of Appeals
Following Feinman's retirement, the New York Supreme Court included the following members:
| ■ Janet DiFiore | Appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in 2015 | |
| ■ Jenny Rivera | Appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in 2013 | |
| ■ Eugene Fahey | Appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in 2015 | |
| ■ Michael Garcia | Appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in 2016 | |
| ■ Rowan Wilson | Appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in 2017 | |
| ■ Leslie Stein | Appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in 2015 |
About the court
Founded in 1847, the New York Court of Appeals is the state's court of last resort and has seven judgeships. The current chief of the court is Rowan Wilson.
About Justice Feinman
- See also: Paul G. Feinman
Justice Feinman joined the State of New York Court of Appeals in 2017. He was appointed to the court by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D). Feinman was the first openly gay judge confirmed to serve on the state's highest court.[6] Feinman passed away on March 31, 2021.[2]
Before serving on the state supreme court, Feinman was a judge with the New York County Supreme Court, Civil Term in the 1st Judicial District from 2008 to 2017. He was also appointed to the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department in 2012. From 1996 to 1997 and again in 2001 to 2003, Feinman served as a judge with the New York City Civil Court. From 1997 to 2000, he served as a judge with the New York City Criminal Courts. He worked as a principal court attorney with Supreme Court Justice Angela Mazzarelli from 1989 to 1996. Feinman worked as a staff attorney with the Manhattan Legal Aid Society Criminal Defense Division from 1987 to 1989. He worked as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, Criminal Appeals Bureau in 1985.[7]
Feinman earned a bachelor's degree from Columbia University in 1981. He earned a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1985.[7]
Other state supreme court appointments in 2021
- See also: State supreme court vacancies, 2021
The following table lists vacancies on state supreme courts that opened in 2021. Click the link under the Court column for a particular vacancy for more information on that vacancy.
Click here for vacancies that opened in 2020.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Court of Appeals, State of New York, "New Message from Chief Judge DiFiore - March 22, 2021," March 22, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, "Statement From Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on the Passing of Judge Paul Feinman," March 31, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, "Governor Cuomo Announces Nominations for Court of Appeals and Court of Claims and First Round of Appointments to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court," May 25, 2021
- ↑ Law.com, "Commission Selects Candidates to Fill Feinman's Court of Appeals Seat," April 29, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: New York," archived March 8, 2013
- ↑ New York Times, "First Openly Gay Judge Confirmed for New York’s Highest Court," June 21, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 New York Courts, "Hon. Paul G. Feinman," archived October 21, 2020
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Federal courts:
Second Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of New York, Western District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of New York, Western District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York
State courts:
New York Court of Appeals • New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division • New York Supreme Court • New York County Courts • New York City Courts • New York Town and Village Courts • New York Family Courts • New York Surrogates' Courts • New York City Civil Court • New York City Criminal Courts • New York Court of Claims • New York Problem Solving Courts
State resources:
Courts in New York • New York judicial elections • Judicial selection in New York
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