24 The QUEE NS Courier • AUGUST 20, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com MEET THE JUDGE: Honorable Jeremy S. Weinstein Queens is an amazing community. Neighborhoods are burgeoning, small businesses are growing and Lonely Planet says it’s the best place to visit in the United States. AT&T is excited about all the great things happening here and we’re proud to help keep residents of Queens connected to the things that are most important to you. Whether sponsoring iconic New York City events like TreeCount! 2015 or the World’s Fair Anniversary Celebration or helping small businesses through our support of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, AT&T has become a part of the fabric of this tremendous community. To help connect you to the things that are important to you, we’ve deployed Wi Fi that can be used by anyone for free at area parks like Astoria Park, the Queens Zoo in Flushing Meadows Corona Park and MacDonald Park, as well as 18 other parks throughout the City. Need a charge while you’re on the go? Free access to solar powered mobile charging stations is available in Corona Plaza and on the boardwalk at Rockaway Beach as part of the AT&T Street Charge initiative. As part of our ongoing effort to help support the community in Queens, we recently participated in the JAMS Festival and are inviting residents to come work from the parks and beaches, using the free Wi Fi and charging stations regardless of network. Why is AT&T doing this? Because we believe that by working together in Queens, there’s nothing we can’t do. We’ll be out in force in the coming weeks at festivals and events to celebrate the Queens Community. Come by and say hello and hear more about how we can help you stay connected to the things that are most important to you. ADVERTORIAL WINNER 3 YEARS IN A ROW What do you do as administrative judge of the Queens Supreme Court - Civil Term? I am responsible for all civil matters related to the Supreme Court in the 11th Judicial District (Queens County). I also have jurisdiction over Queens County Civil Court, Housing Court and Small Claims Court. These courts are located in three courthouses in our county, two on Sutphin Boulevard and one in Long Island City. We employ approximately 525 people, including court officers, clerks, court reporters, interpreters and other non-judicial personnel. I am responsible for the administration of the day-to-day operation of the Supreme Court, which includes coordinating trials, assigning cases to judges and overseeing security, clerical and facility issues to ensure that courthouse operations are conducted efficiently. I also preside over the Trial Scheduling Part where final settlement conferences are held before cases are sent out for trial. My responsibilities also include working with statewide court administration to implement programs such as Access to Justice, which assists self-represented litigants. The Access to Justice programs run by the Supreme Court include a do-it-yourself computerized uncontested matrimonial program, as well as a volunteer law clinic where people can make appointments to meet with volunteer lawyers for uncontested divorces. In addition to the Access to Justice programs, unrepresented parties facing foreclosure meet in the courthouse with Housing and Family Services of Greater New York for counseling when their case first begins. On the first floor or the Supreme courthouse, we operate the Office of Self Help, where parties can receive procedural guidance on how to handle cases in many different areas of the law. The kinds of cases heard in the Supreme Court include personal injury, contract and property disputes, matrimonials, guardianships, foreclosures and medical malpractice. What led you to become a judge? After graduating law school I was a deputy assistant attorney general in New York, assistant counsel to the speaker of the New York State Assembly, and a member of the New York State Senate for 14 years. My father was a judge and administrative judge in Queens Supreme Court from 1975 to 1980. I have always been interested in the law, so becoming a judge seemed like a natural next step in my career. What is the most rewarding thing about your job? I find the interaction with the judges and court staff to be the most rewarding aspect about being an administrative judge. It has been an honor to work with judges and support staff who are truly dedicated to the public. These are difficult times and we continue to face both fiscal constraints and ever increasing caseloads. I am proud of the way in which the Queens Supreme and Civil Court Judges and staff have met these challenges. What is the most difficult thing about your job? Lives are affected by what we do every day. Every case has a winner and a loser, which is why we encourage settlements. We strive every day to see that justice is done, and our first priority is to follow and apply the law. However, we are witness to many sad stories and that can be disheartening.
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