BY AIDAN GRAHAM
Brooklyn Supreme Court
Justice Noach Dear, the
66-year-old former Borough
Park Councilman, died on
April 19 from coronavirus-related
complications.
First elected to Kings County’s
civil court in 2008, Dear
was elevated to the Supreme
Court in 2010 — where he developed
a reputation for his
fi erce defense against harassment
from debt collectors, and
his advocacy for racial justice
in policing policies.
Prior to his time on the
bench, Dear had served in the
City Council from 1983 until
he was barred from seeking reelection
by term-limits in 2001.
Following his death, politicians
and politicos from
around the fi ve boroughs took
to social media to share their
tributes to the one-man “political
institution.”
“Noach Dear was unforgettable.
He had a fi ghting spirit
and always put his constituents
COURIER L 6 IFE, APRIL 24-30, 2020
fi rst,” said Mayor Bill de
Blasio. “On behalf of his city, I
offer our deepest condolences
to his family, friends and the
people of Midwood, Borough
Park and Bensonhurst who he
so dutifully served.”
Kalman Yeger, who now
holds the council seat that
Dear formerly occupied, refl
ected on the “numbing news”
of Dear’s passing and his years
of public service.
“Awful, numbing news.
The passing of my predecessor
Justice Noach Dear is impossible
to digest,” said Yeger.
“Compassionate, funny, pragmatic,
always patient & loved
people. His lifelong public
service touched many thousands.”
Rudy Giuliani — the former
New York City mayor and
current Donald Trump confi -
dant — praised Dear’s legacy
as a sincere civil servant on
behalf of his constituents.
Supreme Court Justice Noach Dear, who served on the City Council for 18 years, died of COVID-19. File Photo
“I am very saddened personally
and for our City,”
said Giuliani. “His commitment
to his community and
to the State of Israel was second
to none. As a Democrat in
the City Council, he was able
to put politics aside and support
me when he thought I was
right.”
Judge Dear’s coronavirusrelated
passing comes amid
accusations that the state
failed to halt court operations
early enough to prevent the
spread of the novel virus.
In-person proceedings
were still in full effect until
weeks after the virus hit New
York, and now several judges
have been infected, and multiple
have died — including
Dear and fellow Brooklyn jurist
Johnny Lee Baynes.
Courts have since been
largely shuttered, with only
minimal video conferencebased
operations for emergency
matters — although
court operators are now rolling
out video conferencing
for non-essential proceedings,
such as plea deals.
‘Unforgettable’
Judge Noach Dear, former city
councilman, dies of COVID-19
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