Why you've never heard of the judges on your ballot | You Decide

By NY1

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Hundreds of judges sit on the bench in New York City, deciding the fate of criminal defendants. But how did they get their jobs in the first place? It’s a surprisingly complicated question that NY1 investigative reporter Courtney Gross explores in her special series, “Building the Bench.” She examines how local political parties control the process and select favored judicial candidates , often leaving voters with no real choice. Courtney joined Errol to discuss why she pursued the series and what she learned along the way. They explored whether the current system is truly the best way to select judges for State Supreme Court - and Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s upcoming judicial appointments for Family Court and Criminal Court . They also discussed allegations of patronage and nepotism, concerns about lawyers who help “make” judges, oversight by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct. They also look at how the system has also helped diversify the bench, leading to historic firsts in Brookly

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