2012 Wrap Up Topics

Happy New Year!!!

End of semester, exams, grading, and break time in Arizona occupied that last few weeks. Now back to normalcy and reality. And back to New York Court Watcher.

For the first several posts, we'll look at some late developments of 2012 that have not yet been addressed. Well, maybe elsewhere--TV, radio, and newspaper--but not on this blog. So we'll have a few words to say about them. Maybe more than a few words for one of two of them.

The Supreme Court tackling same-sex marriage. Vacancies on the New York Court of Appeals and possible replacements for Governor Cuomo to nominate. And of course, the annual nostalgic look back at Saratoga.

First, the briefest preview. This will be followed over the next couple of weeks by separate posts on each item.

SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court granted cert in (i.e., agreed to hear) 2 cases involving same-sex marriage. One federal, one state. The Court has several options for deciding these cases.

SARATOGA MEET

From the 1st race on  opening day, July 20, to the last one of the meet on September 3 [Both won by Rosie Napravnik!], it was another glorious year at Saratoga. Shanghai Bobby, Winter Memories, Fort Larned, Questing, Alpha, Wise Dan, Hessionite, and many others shined.

COURT OF APPEALS LIST

New York's Commission on Judicial Nomination released its list of 7 nominees from which Governor Andrew Cuomo  will select an appointee to the Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, to replace mandatory age-retired Judge Carmen Ciparick.

JUDGE CIPARICK RETIRED

Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, appointed to the Court of Appeals by then-Governor Mario Cuomo  in 1994, reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 in 2012. This 1st Hispanic to sit on New York's highest court compiled a record marked by a jurisprudence of compassion.

JUDGE JONES PASSED AWAY

Theodore Jones, appointed to New York's highest court  by then-Governor Spitzer in  2007, unexpectedly passed away in November. In his brief tenure, he was a gutsy, admired, and beloved member of the Court. 

The first of these that we'll deal with is the time-sensitive matter of possible appointees to the Court of Appeals. Governor Andrew Cuomo has only a few more days--until January 15--to make his selection for New York's highest court from among the list of 7 provided by the Commission on Judicial Nomination.

We'll take a quick look at the 7 individuals who comprise the list in the next post.