Jonathan Lippman

December 17, 2008 | New York Law Journal

In remarks given upon receipt of the William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence, Jonathan Lippman, presiding justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, said: So much of the criticism directed at judges and courts these days is predicated on a distorted concept of accountability. Well-funded and organized interest groups are campaigning to convince Americans that the judiciary is no different from the political branches of government. With the judiciary no longer sitting on a public pedestal or enjoying the kind of societal esteem that sustained us in the past, there is no greater challenge for court systems today than to prevent these efforts from metastasizing into broader attacks on the judiciary's capacity to govern itself as a co-equal branch of government.

By Jonathan Lippman

13 minute read

May 03, 2010 | New York Law Journal

Jonathan Lippman, Chief Judge of the State of New York, writes: The New York courts' pioneering commitment in the 1990s to linking nonviolent adult offenders to community-based drug and mental health treatment has made us a national model for how to hold offenders accountable for their actions while producing positive outcomes for defendants, their families and our society. The time has come to apply these lessons to troubled young people.

By Jonathan Lippman Chief Judge, State of New York

9 minute read

January 26, 2009 | New York Law Journal

Jonathan Lippman, Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, and Nominee for Chief Judge Of the State of New York, writes: In many respects, the legal world today is a much different place than it was 15, or even 10, years ago. Much of the progress in shaping our profession for the better has been the result of the spectacular partnership between the courts and the bar.

By Jonathan Lippman

7 minute read

January 24, 2011 | New York Law Journal

Jonathan LippmanChief Judge, State of New York, writes: The State Bar Association has been extremely supportive of and extensively involved in our efforts to expand access to civil legal services for low-income New Yorkers. Given our partnership in this regard, I believe State Bar week is a perfect opportunity for me both to report on the latest developments and to express my gratitude for the association's help.

By Jonathan LippmanChief Judge, State of New York

9 minute read

May 02, 2011 | New York Law Journal

Jonathan Lippman, Chief Judge of the State of New York, writes: The exact number will always be a mystery, but we know that since DNA was first used over 20 years ago to exonerate an innocent person, there have been 266 documented DNA exonerations nationwide, 27 of them in New York alone, not to mention scores of exonerations based on traditional, non-DNA evidence. Every one of these exonerations is a reminder that our system of justice, while a source of great pride to all of us, is far from perfect.

By Jonathan Lippman

8 minute read

January 02, 2002 | New York Law Journal

P reparation of the Judiciary`s 2002 Legislative Program has been taking place with the events of Sept. 11 very much on our minds. The unprecedented attacks on innocent Americans, and the continuing threat to the public, are nothing less than assaults on our nation`s values and freedoms. This is why the courts, of all institutions, must remain strong and steadfast in their mission. The 2002 Legislative Program, which will be officially submitted at the annual Judicial Conference in February, reflects a con

By Jonathan Lippman

9 minute read

December 06, 2006 | New York Law Journal

Jonathan Lippman, a Supreme Court justice and the chief administrative judge of the New York courts, writes: There is a new paradigm in which voters are being conditioned to think of judges as just another breed of politician. This has made the stakes incredibly high, not just in New York but all over the country. And there is no end in sight.

By Jonathan Lippman

11 minute read

May 01, 2009 | New York Law Journal

Jonathan Lippman, Chief Judge of the State of New York, writes: For this 51st annual celebration of Law Day in the United States, the American Bar Association has selected an excellent but challenging theme: "A Legacy of Liberty: Celebrating Lincoln's Bicentennial." Thousands of books and millions of Web pages have been published about Lincoln, who is widely believed to be our nation's greatest president, and many focus on his words in speeches and his many writings. All of that is both a blessing and a curse. To select a theme or quotation for Law Day, we have such a wealth of material that choosing is difficult. I have happily settled on Lincoln's lifelong commitment to equality.

By Jonathan Lippman

7 minute read

April 23, 2002 | New York Law Journal

W E STAND at the threshold of the electronic courthouse. In the very near future, electronic filing and imaging technologies could enable anyone with Internet access to retrieve, review and print out court records from their home or office computer with just a few clicks of the mouse. Indeed, in the virtual courthouse, anyone with a computer has the key to the file room and a window on the workings of the justice system.

By Jonathan Lippman

9 minute read