Judith Kaye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Judith Kaye
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals |
|
| In office March 23, 1993 – December 31, 2008 |
|
| Appointed by | Mario Cuomo (1993) Eliot Spitzer (2007) |
| Preceded by | Richard D. Simons (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Lippman |
| Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals |
|
| In office September 12, 1983 – March 23, 1993 |
|
| Appointed by | Mario Cuomo |
| Preceded by | Jacob D. Fuchsberg |
| Succeeded by | Howard A. Levine |
| 5th Chair of the New York Commission on Judicial Nomination |
|
| In office May 21, 2009 – January 7, 2016 |
|
| Preceded by | John F. O'Mara |
| Succeeded by | Alan Mansfield (interim) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Judith Ann Smith
August 4, 1938 Monticello, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 7, 2016 (aged 77) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Stephen Rackow Kaye
(m. 1964; died 2006) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents |
|
| Alma mater | Barnard College New York University School of Law |
Judith Ann Kaye (born Smith; August 4, 1938 – January 7, 2016) was an important American lawyer and judge. She served as the top judge, called the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, from 1993 to 2008.
She was the first woman to hold this very high position in New York State. She also served longer than any other chief judge in New York's history.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Judith Ann Smith was born in Monticello, New York, on August 4, 1938. Her parents, Benjamin and Lena Smith, were immigrants from Poland. They lived on a farm and ran a clothing store.
Judith was a very bright student. She skipped two grades and finished Monticello High School (New York) when she was just fifteen. She then went to Barnard College. In 1958, she earned a degree in Latin American civilization.
After college, she worked as a reporter for a newspaper called the Hudson Dispatch. She wrote about society news. But she soon decided she wanted to become a lawyer instead.
She worked as a copy editor during the day to pay for her studies. At night, she attended New York University Law School. She graduated in 1962 with high honors. She was one of only ten women in a class of nearly 300 students. In 1963, she officially became a lawyer in New York State.
Legal Career
Judith Kaye started her law career in New York City at a well-known law firm called Sullivan & Cromwell. Later, she worked in the legal department at IBM. While raising her family, she also worked part-time helping the dean at New York University Law School, where she had studied.
In 1969, she joined another law firm, Olwine, Connelly, Chase, O'Donnell & Weyher. She worked as a lawyer who handled court cases. In 1975, she made history there by becoming the firm's first female partner. A partner is a senior lawyer who shares in the firm's ownership and profits.
Becoming a Judge
In 1982, Mario Cuomo, who was running for governor of New York, promised to appoint a woman to the New York Court of Appeals. This is the highest court in New York State, similar to a state's supreme court.
When a spot opened on the court, Judith Kaye was one of two women considered. Governor Cuomo interviewed her twice. He then appointed her to the court for a 14-year term. This made her the first woman ever to serve on New York's highest court.
Time on the New York Court of Appeals
Governor Cuomo officially nominated Judith Kaye to be an associate judge on August 11, 1983. The state senate approved her nomination on September 6, and she was sworn in on September 12, 1983.
In 1992, the Chief Judge of the court resigned. Governor Cuomo then nominated Judith Kaye to become the Chief Judge on February 22, 1993. The senate approved her, and she was sworn in on March 23, 1993. When her term was ending, Governor Eliot Spitzer nominated her again in 2007. She was approved and sworn in again in March 2007.
The Chief Judge of New York has two main jobs. First, they oversee the entire state court system, which has thousands of employees. Second, they act as a judge, hearing and deciding important appeals in the state's highest court. In 2008, The New York Times praised her work, saying she was excellent at both roles.
As Court Administrator
As Chief Judge, Judith Kaye worked hard to improve and modernize the court system. New York State became a leader in creating "problem-solving courts." These courts offered help like treatment instead of jail for cases involving addiction or mental illness.
Kaye also made jury service easier and more efficient for citizens. She successfully pushed to remove all special exemptions from jury service. This meant almost everyone was expected to serve on a jury if called.
She also helped create the Center for Court Innovation. This group works to research and develop new ideas for the court system.
Her Legal Decisions
Judith Kaye believed strongly in civil liberties. She often interpreted the Constitution of New York to give people more protections than the federal Constitution. She was seen as a liberal judge. However, after becoming Chief Judge, she worked to find common ground with other judges to build agreement.
- In a case about libel (false statements that harm someone's reputation), Immuno AG v. J. Moor-Jankowski (1991), Kaye ruled in favor of a scientific journal editor. The editor had been sued for publishing a critical letter. Kaye stressed that in libel cases, quick decisions can help protect freedom of speech.
Retirement and Later Career
Judith Kaye retired on December 31, 2008, because she reached the state's mandatory retirement age of 70 for judges. She sometimes mentioned that she felt experienced judges were being forced to leave the courts too soon.
She gave her farewell speech on November 12, 2008. She was the longest-serving Chief Judge in New York history. After her retirement, Jonathan Lippman became the new Chief Judge.
In February 2009, Kaye joined a law firm called Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom as a special counsel.
She was also appointed to the Commission on Judicial Nomination. This group helps choose candidates for judge positions. She became the chair of this commission in May 2009 and served until her death.
Death
Judith Kaye passed away on January 7, 2016, at her home in Manhattan. She was 77 years old and had been diagnosed with lung cancer about five years earlier.
Personal Life
Judith Kaye married Stephen Rackow Kaye on February 11, 1964. He was also a lawyer and had worked with her at Sullivan & Cromwell. He passed away in 2006. They had three children: Luisa, Jonathan, and Gordon.
Memberships, Awards and Honors
Judith Kaye received many honorary degrees from different universities.
She was involved with many important organizations. These included the Legal Aid Society, which helps people who cannot afford lawyers. She also co-chaired the Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children. She was a trustee for Barnard College, her alma mater. President Jimmy Carter appointed her to a commission that nominated judges for the Second Circuit.
Kaye received many awards, including the Distinguished Jurist Award from the New York State Bar Association. She also received the Barnard Medal of Distinction, the highest honor from Barnard College, in 1987. In 2003, she was elected to the American Philosophical Society, a very old and respected group.
She was a longtime member of Congregation Shearith Israel, a Sephardic synagogue in New York. Interestingly, Benjamin Cardozo, another famous Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, was also a member of the same synagogue.
See also
- List of female state supreme court justices
- List of first women lawyers and judges in New York
- New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC)
