Here's a copy an e-mail we received from our friend, Alan Flacks.
JUDICIAL UPDATE
This year, there are judicial vacancies in the Manhattan Civil, Surrogate, and Supreme courts. There is a local downtown Civil Court seat on the lower west side. There is one (of the two) Manhattan Surrogate's Court judges to be filled. And now there are five vacancies in the First District (N.Y. County) State Supreme Court bench.
A vacancy recently arose when Supreme Court Justice James Yates announced his resignation (effective April 28th) to become counsel to Gov. David Paterson. Earlier this year, Appellate Division Justice Stephen Crane resigned. This now provides the new Governor the opportunity to appoint two interim judges. Additionally, there's an "open" seat (created by Justice Louis York reaching the mandatory retirement age), while Justices Martin Schoenfeld and Marcy Kahn are both seeking re-election.
The County's Judiciary Committee is in the process of forming a screening panel of people designated by the heads of various law schools together with civic and bar associations to interview applicants for the Surrogate and Supreme Court vacancies.
Vilia Hayes , a partner with the firm of Hughes, Hubbard & Reed LLP , will be serving as the screening panel's administrator.
