Rochester-area legal organizations announce judicial candidate evaluations

Two Rochester-area legal organizations have released their judicial candidate evaluations for upcoming elections.

The evaluations were conducted as a partnership with the Rochester Black Bar Association (RBBA) and the Greater Rochester Association of Women Attorneys (GRAWA).

The RBBA’s Judicial Review Committee includes practicing attorneys from the local legal community. The group’s judicial review process is non-partisan and is designed to evaluate each judicial candidate on an individual basis.

RBBA’s evaluation process involves reviewing a dossier from each judicial candidate including a curriculum vitae, writing samples, responses to a detailed questionnaire, reference checks and live-video interviews.

Individual candidates were rated on their legal acumen, relevant experience, judicial temperament and integrity. The RBBA process also focuses on the candidates’ sensitivity to issues of diversity and access to justice, in addition to implicit and explicit biases in the legal system.

Candidates who participate in the evaluation process are rated “highly qualified,” “qualified” or “not qualified.”

Candidates also receive a sensitivity rating of highly sensitive, moderately sensitive or some sensitivity, based on the candidates’ sensitivity to issues involving minorities and/or other historically disadvantaged groups.

RBBA’s rating re as follows:

• Rochester City Court Judge Caroline Morrison – Highly qualified and highly sensitive
• Julie Hahn – Qualified and some sensitivity
• Monroe County Court Judge Douglas Randall – Highly qualified and highly sensitive
• Chili Justice Marty McCarthy – Highly qualified and some sensitivity
• Julie Cianca – Highly qualified and highly sensitive

GRAWA’s Judicial Evaluation Committee (JEC) reviewed the qualifications of the candidates running for seats on the New York State Supreme Court and Monroe County Court.

The GRAWA JEC is a non-partisan group representing a cross-section of attorneys in the greater Rochester area. The attorneys on the Committee come from a variety of political backgrounds, purposefully balanced, and work for a variety of public and private firms and agencies which practice in relevant courts.

GRAWA’s evaluation process includes reviewing a detailed questionnaire, writing samples, reference checks and an in-depth interview. Evaluation criteria include experience, integrity, professional competence, judicial temperament, service to the law and contribution to the effective administration of justice and service to the community.

Evaluation criteria for a candidate currently sitting as a judge also include: preparation, attentiveness and control over judicial proceedings, judicial management skills, courtesy to litigants, counsel and court personnel, public disciplinary sanctions and quality of judicial opinions.

Candidates who participate in the GRAWA evaluation process are rated “exceptionally well qualified,” “well qualified,” “qualified,” or “not qualified.” A rating of “commended” is also given to those candidates who have demonstrated outstanding sensitivity to issues of women, minorities, and bias.

Candidates who were invited to participate but refused to participate in the evaluation process are not recommended. Candidates who were not invited to participate due to having joined the election process late or were not announced in time for GRAWA to invite them to participate were not rated for a legitimate reason.

GRAWA’s ratings for the 2021 judicial candidates are as follows:

New York State Supreme Court

• Monroe County Family Court Judge James Walsh – Not rated for a legitimate reason
• Elena Cariola, Not rated for legitimate reason
• Deral Givens, Not rated for legitimate reason
• Maurice Verillo, Not recommended for failure to participate

Monroe County Court

• Judge Caroline Morrison – Exceptionally well qualified
• Justice Marty McCarthy – Qualified
• Judge Douglas Randall – Well qualified
• Julie Cianca – Exceptionally well qualified
• Julie Hahn – Well qualified

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