Highlights
News, Opinion & Past Event Profiles
Sterling Johnson Jr., Federal Judge and Former Prosecutor, Dies at 88
The Honorable Sterling Johnson Jr., a Senior Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, passed away on Oct. 10 in Queens, N.Y. He was 88 years old. The Judicial Friends Association salutes Judge Johnson, and extends its sincere condolences...
2022 Women’s History Month Conversation: Providing Healing & Promoting Hope
For 2022 the Judicial Friends Association celebrates Women's History Month with an empowering conversation titled "Providing Healing & Promoting Hope".
The Judicial Friends Association Oppose OCA’s Court Restructuring Proposal
The Judicial Friends Association (The Association) was established in 1976 by a group of African-American Judges within the State of New York seeking the fair and just treatment of minority Judges, staff and attorneys. We are the oldest established organization...
HAPPY PRIDE!
The Judicial Friends Association, Inc. proudly stands with the members of our global LGBTQ family as we join in celebrating Pride Month. We reaffirm our dedication to choose love over hate and our demand for diversity, inclusion and unity over division at all times....
United Against Hate
The Judicial Friends Association, Inc. stands with our colleagues and friends and we are all united against hate."We are heartened by the expressions of solidarity against anti-Asian bigotry and violence from our brothers and sisters across the many bar and judicial...
We Will Not Let Them Down!
The topic of historical black judges cannot be discussed without the mention of the Honorable Judge Harold A. Stevens and the Honorable Fritz Winfred Alexander. The Honorable Judge Harold A. Stevens (pictured right) was born on October 19, 1907. He lost his father at...
Our World and Humanity is Greatly Diminished by the Passing of Mayor David Dinkins
It is with a heavy heart that we reflect on the loss of a trailblazer, civil rights icon and first African American mayor of the City of New York, David Dinkins. Mayor Dinkins made significant contributions to the City of New York. Those accomplishments included...
The Judicial Friends Association Opposes OCA’s Sweeping Denial of 2020 Judicial Certifications and Re-Certifications
New York, New York, November 6, 2020 JFA vehemently opposes the decision of the Unified Court System (the Court System) to deny the certifications and re-certifications of 46 of the 49 Supreme Court Justices who have passed the age of 70, and the ninety-day...
Heroic Beginnings
HEROIC BEGINNINGS James S. Watson and Charles E. Toney were the first African American males elected as judges in New York State. The Honorable James Watson (1882 - 1952), illustrated above, was a pioneer. In 1930, he campaigned successfully for municipal court judge...
The Judicial Friends Association Releases Report: Systemic Racism In The New York State Court System With Solutions To Eradicate It
New York, New York, September 9, 2020 Judicial Friends Association, an association of Black and other minority judges in New York, officially released a comprehensive Report to the New York State Court’s Commission on Equal Justice in the Courts (“Report”). The Report...