New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department - Historical Society of the New York Courts

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Abdus-Salaam, Sheila

In 2013, Judge Abdus-Salaam was appointed to the Court of Appeals. See her full biography HERE. The first African-American woman ...
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Acosta, Rolando T.

The Hon. Rolando T. Acosta was elected as a New York State Supreme Court Justice in New York County in ...
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Andrias, Richard T.

Justice Richard T. Andrias is a 1970 graduate of Columbia Law School and attended the Graduate Law School of the ...
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Asch, Sidney H.

Known as a scholar and an authority on law and social change, Sidney Howard Asch was born in New York ...
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Ii, Fritz W. Alexander

In 1985, Judge Alexander was appointed to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. The first black judge ...
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Barrett, George C.

It was said that Justice George C. Barrett "was undoubtedly one of the greatest Judges that ever sat upon the ...
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Bastow, Earle C.

Justice Bastow also sat on the bench of the 4th Department; more information can be found HERE. Earle C. Bastow ...
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Bergan, Francis

In 1963, Judge Bergan was elected to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. Judge Bergan also sat ...
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Birns, Harold

Harold Birns was born on the Lower East Side of New York City in 1914. He attended George Washington High ...
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Bloom, Max

Max Bloom was born in 1909 in New York City. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School and received his law ...
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Botein, Bernard

A principal figure in New York City's legal establishment, Justice Bernard Botein was active in court reform and had an ...
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Breitel, Charles D.

In 1967, Judge Breitel was elected to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. Among the most noted ...
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Brunt, Charles H. Van

It was said of Justice Charles H. Van Brunt that "an impartial application of sound law is his rule of ...
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Buckley, John T.

John T. Buckley was born in Utica, New York, on February 8, 1936. He graduated from Georgetown University in 1958, ...
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Burr, William P.

William P. Burr was born in Dublin, Ireland on March 30, 1856. He came to the U.S. as a young ...
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Callahan, Joseph M.

Joseph M. Callahan was born in New York City on December 10, 1885. He attended New York City public schools, ...
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Capozzoli, Louis J.

Louis Joseph Capozzoli was born on March 6, 1901, in Cosenza, Italy, and emigrated with his family to the United ...
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Carro, John

Born in Puerto Rico in 1927 and raised in New York City, John Carro graduated from Fordham University in 1949 ...
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Catterson, James M.

James M. Catterson, III was born on December 19, 1958 in Jamaica, New York. He is the son of the ...
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Clark, Darcel D.

Born and raised in the Bronx, Darcel Clark was the first member of her family to attend college. She earned ...
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Clarke, John Proctor

On January 4, 1927, shortly after Justice Clarke's retirement from the Appellate Division, the president of the Association of the ...
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Cohn, Albert

Justice Albert Cohn served as a mentor to future Appellate Division Justice Martin M. Frank, who eulogized Cohn citing his ...
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Colabella, Nicholas

The son of immigrants from Italy, Justice Nicholas Colabella was born on May 22, 1936 in Bronxville, New York, and ...
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Cox, Joseph A.

Joseph A. Cox was born in New York City in 1896, the son of a stone cutter. He attended public ...
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Davis, Vernon M.

Born on January 29, 1855 in Manhattan, New York, to Robert Vernon Davis and Mary Semler Davis, Justice Davis was ...
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Degrasse, Leland G.

Justice DeGrasse is best known for being the trial judge who ruled against the state’s system for financing public schools ...
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Dore, Edward S.

In a survey conducted in 1931 by Professor Joseph X. Healy of the College of the City of New York, ...
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Dowling, Victor J.

Born on July 20, 1866 in New York City, Victor J. Dowling attended parochial schools and De La Salle Academy ...
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Eager, Samuel W.

Samuel W. Eager was born in Montgomery, New York, on August 19, 1900. He was schooled in Orange County, New ...
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Ellerin, Betty Weinberg

"She may be petite, but pound for pound (or in her case, ounce for ounce), Betty Weinberg Ellerin packs more ...
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Evans, Herbert B.

While attending DuSable High School on the South Side of Chicago in the 1930s, Herbert B. Evans decided that he ...
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Fein, Arnold L.

Justice Fein was born in Boston in 1910, and grew up in Brooklyn, where he attended Erasmus Hall High School ...
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Feinman, Paul G.

In 2017, Judge Feinman was appointed to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. In June 2017, Governor ...
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Finch, Edward Ridley

In 1935, Judge Finch was elected to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. Justice Edward Ridley Finch ...
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Foster, Sydney F.

In 1960, Judge Foster was appointed to the Court of Appeals and elected later that year. See his full biography ...
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Frank, Martin M.

As a Supreme Court Justice, Martin M. Frank condemned the "standard magistrates' courts practice" of arraigning persons on "an assembly ...
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Freedman, Helen E.

When asked why she was leaving the bench, Appellate Division, First Department Justice Helen Freedman stated that she was following ...
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Glennon, Edward J.

Edward J. Glennon was born in New York in 1884. As a young man he graduated from Fordham. He began ...
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Gonzalez, Luis A.

Justice Luis Antonio Gonzalez was born in Manati, Puerto Rico in 1945. His parents migrated to New York in the ...
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Greenbaum, Samuel

Born January 23, 1854 in London, England, Justice Greenbaum was the son of Louis and Rachel Deborah (Schlessinger) Greenbaum. He ...
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Hatch, Edward W.

Justice Hatch also sat on the bench of the 2nd Department; more information can be found HERE. Edward W. Hatch ...
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Heffernan, Christopher J.

Justice Heffernan also sat on the bench of the 3rd Department; more information can be found HERE. At one point in ...
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Hotchkiss, Henry D.

Henry DeWitt Hotchkiss was born in Albany, New York on July 2, 1856. He received a private school education and ...
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Houghton, James W.

Justice Houghton also sat on the bench of the 3rd Department; more information can be found HERE. Born September 1, ...
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Ingraham, George L.

George Landon Ingraham was one of the first Associate Justices of the Appellate Division First Department at its formation in ...
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,

Associate Justice Marcy L. Kahn graduated with an A.B. with honors from Stanford University in 1972 and received her J.D ...
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Kassal, Bentley

In June of 2009, on the 65th anniversary of D-Day, Bentley Kassal was awarded France's highest honor, the French Legion ...
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Kavanagh, E. Michael

Justice Kavanagh also sat on the bench of the 3rd Department; more information is available HERE. E. Michael Kavanagh was ...
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Kupferman, Theodore R.

Justice Theodore R. Kupferman was known as the Great Dissenter of the Appellate Division, First Department. According to The New ...
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Lambert, John S.

Justice Lambert also sat on the bench of the 4th Department; more information can be found HERE. Born in Johnsonville, ...
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Lane, Myles J.

Prior to his career in the law, Myles J. Lane, a standout athlete at Dartmouth, played football, baseball and hockey ...
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Laughlin, Frank C.

Justice Laughlin also sat on the bench of the 4th Department; more information can be found HERE. It was said ...
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Lerner, Alfred D.

Justice Lerner also sat on the bench of the 2nd Department; more information can be found HERE. Justice Alfred D ...
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Lippman, Jonathan

In 2009, Judge Lippman was appointed as the Chief Judge of the State of New York. See his full biography ...
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Lupiano, Vincent A.

Upon Justice Vincent A. Lupiano's induction into the New York State Supreme Court, his father, Dominick Lupiano, who had been ...
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Lynch, J. Robert

J. Robert Lynch was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 1, 1921. He and his family later moved upstate, ...
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Macken, Daniel E.

Born in 1905, Daniel E. Macken received his law degree from Syracuse University Law School in 1928. He was in ...
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Malone, Jr., Bernard J.

Justice Malone also sat on the bench of the 3rd Department; more information can be found HERE. Bernard J. Malone, ...
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Markewich, Arthur

In 1976, Justice Arthur Markewich was the justice presiding on the panel of Appellate Division judges that disbarred Richard M ...
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Marlow, George D.

George D. Marlow was born on June 8, 1941, in New York City. He graduated from St. Lawrence University in ...
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Martin, Francis

"Confidence of the public in our judiciary can be maintained only so long as justice is administered swiftly, fairly and ...
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Mcavoy, John V.

The judicial career of Justice John V. McAvoy was a long one, spanning 29 years or half his lifetime, as ...
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Mccurn, Francis D.

Justice McCurn also sat on the bench of the 4th Department; more information can be found HERE. Francis D. McCurn ...
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Mcgivern, Owen

From his election to the State Assembly in 1939, Owen McGivern was known for his strong, persuasive and witty public ...
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Mcguire, James M.

James M. McGuire was born on July 3, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Fordham University in 1975 and ...
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Mclaughlin, Chester B.

In 1917, Judge McLaughlin was appointed, and later elected, to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. It ...
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Mcnally, James B. M.

The motto "In God We Trust" is displayed over the bench of every judge in the State of New York ...
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Merrell, Edgar S. K.

Justice Merrell also sat on the bench of the 4th Department; more information can be found HERE. Edgar Sanford Keen ...
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Miller, Nathan L.

In 1913, Judge Miller was appointed to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. Judge Miller also sat ...
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Milonas, E. Leo

E. Leo Milonas was born on October 23, 1936, in New York City, the son of a Greek immigrant who ...
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Moskowitz, Karla

Justice Karla Moskowitz is a 1966 graduate of Columbia Law School. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, ...
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Murphy, Francis T.

Francis Timothy Murphy was born in the Bronx, New York, on April 21, 1927. After serving in the U.S. Navy ...
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Nardelli, Eugene L.

Born in Italy in 1934 to an American mother, Justice Eugene L. Nardelli later moved with his family to the ...
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Noonan, Robert E.

Justice Noonan also sat on the bench of the 4th Deparment; more information can be found HERE. Robert E. Noonan ...
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Nunez, Emilio

Justice Emilio Nunez was a pioneer in New York's judicial system. He was the first Hispanic judge in New York ...
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O'Brien, Morgan J.

Justice O'Brien also sat on the bench of the 2nd Department; more information can be found HERE. Morgan J. O'Brien ...
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O'Malley, James

Born September 15, 1874 on a farm near Medina, New York to Michael and Bridget Whalen O'Malley, Justice O'Malley attended ...
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Page, Alfred R.

Born on October 7, 1859 in Carlinville, Illinois, Justice Alfred Rider Page attended primary school in Vermont. In 1874 his ...
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Parker, Alton B.

In 1898, Judge Parker was elected to the Court of Appeals as Chief Judge. See his full biography HERE. Alton ...
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Patterson, Edward

As reported in the New York Times, September 3, 1900, "To the well-earned reputation of Justice Patterson for purity, learning, ...
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Peck, David W.

Justice David Warner Peck played a leading role in court reform in the 1940s and 1950s. He oversaw the state's ...
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Philbin, Eugene A.

It was said of Justice Eugene Ambrose Philbin that he has "by his opinions and work as a judge, erected ...
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Proskauer, Joseph M.

Justice Proskauer was born on August 6, 1877 in Mobile Alabama to Alfred and Rebecca L. Proskauer. His family were ...
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Rabin, Benjamin J.

Benjamin J. Rabin was born in Rochester, New York on June 3, 1896. He attended public schools and thereafter went ...
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RomáN, Nelson Stephen

Beginning his career as a police officer and eventually being appointed by the President of the United States as a ...
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Rosenberger, Ernst H.

Prior to his distinguished career on the bench, Justice Ernst Rosenberger was active in the civil rights movement during the ...
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Ross, David

Early on, David Ross gained some notoriety as a bantamweight boxer in the East Bronx. His political style was rooted ...
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Rubin, Israel

Israel Rubin was born on December 14, 1926. He graduated from St. John's University in 1949 and received his law ...
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Rumsey, William

Justice Rumsey also sat on the bench of the 4th Department; more information can be found HERE. Born October 18, ...
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Sandler, Leonard H.

Leonard H. Sandler was born on October 16, 1926, in the Bronx and moved with his family to the Lower ...
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Saxe, David B.

Born on December 30, 1942 David B. Saxe was raised and educated in The Bronx, New York where he attended ...
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Scott, Francis M.

Born in 1848 in New York City, to Thomas and Eleanor Augusta Scott, Justice Scott graduated from City College of ...
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Shearn, Clarence J.

Clarence John Shearn was born in Leeds, Massachusetts in 1869. As a young man he graduated from Cornell University in ...
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Sherman, Henry L.

It was said of Justice Henry L. Sherman that "He was one of the outstanding jurists of the day ...
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Shientag, Bernard L.

In a Letter to the Editor of the New York Times upon the passing of Justice Shientag, Mr. James McGurrin ...
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Silverman, Samuel J.

Samuel Joshua Silverman was born in Odessa, Russia, on September 25, 1908. He and his family emigrated to New York ...
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Smith, George Bundy

In 1992, Judge Smith was appointed to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. A Freedom Rider and ...
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Smith, Walter Lloyd

Justice Smith also sat on the bench of the 3rd and 4th Departments; more information can be found HERE and ...
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Staley, Jr., Ellis J.

Justice Staley also sat on the bench of the 3rd Deparment; more information can be found HERE. Ellis J. Staley, ...
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Steuer, Aron

It was said of Justice Aron Steuer that he "had an intellect clear, formidable and with a fine cutting edge ...
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Stevens, Harold A.

In 1974, Judge Stevens was appointed to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. The first African American ...
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Sullivan, Joseph P.

The son of a New York City Corrections Officer and a first generation American, Justice Joseph P. Sullivan has the ...
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Sweeny, Jr., John W.

Associate Justice John W. Sweeny, Jr. is known for his focus, reliability, and unwavering dedication to treating all attorneys, litigants, ...
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Tilzer, George

George Tilzer was born on September 17, 1899, in New York City. He received his law degree from New York ...
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Tom, Peter

Justice Peter Tom’s career spanned over 30 years from his appointment as a Housing Court Judge to his position as ...
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Townley, Alfred H.

Alfred H. Townley was born in upstate New York in 1876 and came to New York City as a young ...
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Untermyer, Irwin

Irwin Untermyer, son of another famous lawyer, Samuel Untermyer, was born on February 2, 1886. A native New Yorker, he ...
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Valente, Francis L.

Upon the death of Justice Francis L. Valente, Bernard Botein, the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division First Department paid ...
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Voorhis, John Van

In 1953, Judge Van Voorhis was appointed to the Court of Appeals. See his full biography HERE. Justice John Van ...
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Wagner, Robert F.

Born in Nastatten, Germany on June 8, 1877 to Reinhard and Magdalene Schmidt Wagner, Justice Wagner immigrated to the United ...
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Wallach, Richard W.

Born in 1927, Justice Wallach was raised in New York City and educated at the Fieldston School, where he was ...
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Wasservogel, Isidor

Isidor Wasservogel was best known for conducting the inquiry into the activities of ambulance-chasing lawyers and accident claim agents in ...
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Williams, Milton L.

Justice Milton L. Williams was born in Augusta, Georgia on November 14, 1932. His family moved to New York City ...
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Williams, Pardon C.

Justice Williams also sat on the bench of the 4th Department; more information can be found HERE. "In the thousand ...
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Witmer, G. Robert

Justice Witmer also sat on the bench of the 4th Department; more information can be found HERE. G. Robert Witmer ...
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Yesawich, Jr., Paul J.

Justice Yesawich also sat on the bench of the 3rd Department; more information can be found HERE. Paul J. Yesawich, ...
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