A memorial service has been scheduled to honor Judge Harold Baer Jr., who served on the bench in the Southern District for 20 years.

The service will be held on April 15 at 4 p.m. in the ninth floor ceremonial courtroom of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse at 500 Pearl St.

Baer died May 27, 2014 at the age of 81, leaving a legacy of commitment to civil rights and diversity. Among the most high-profile cases over which he presided was the long term litigation over unconstitutional confinement conditions for pretrail detainees at Rikers Island. Known as the Benjamin case, it was nearly 20 years old when Base inherited it. He presided over it for almost 20 years, issuing dozens of rulings on detainee searches, discipline and overcrowding, among other issues (NYLJ, May 29, 2014).