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K00855 Text:

 
Senate Resolution No. 3286
 
BY: Senator FLANAGAN
 
        CELEBRATING  the  life and exemplary career of The
        Honorable Judith S. Kaye, former Chief Judge of  the
        Court of Appeals, New York State's highest court
 
  WHEREAS,  It  is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay tribute to those singular individuals who  devote  their  purposeful
lives and careers in service to preserving the rights and protecting the
welfare  of  the  citizens of their community and the State of New York;
and
 
  WHEREAS, It is with feelings of deepest regret that this Legislative
Body records the passing of Judith Kaye, noting the significance of  the
loss  of  a woman whose passionate and altruistic spirit will be greatly
missed; and
 
  WHEREAS, Judith S. Kaye, the first female Chief  Judge  of  the  New
York  State  Court  of Appeals died on Thursday, January 7, 2016, at the
age of 77; and
 
  WHEREAS, Born on August 4, 1938, in  Monticello,  New  York,  Judith
Smith  Kaye  earned  a  bachelor's  degree from Barnard College in 1958,
before obtaining an LL.B from New York University  School  of  Law,  cum
laude,  in  1962; one year later, she was admitted to the New York State
Bar; and
 
  WHEREAS, Judith S. Kaye began her eminent career in private practice
in New York City with the firm of Sullivan & Cromwell; she then moved to
Olwine,  Connelly,  Chase,  O'Donnell  &  Weyher,  until  her   historic
appointment  by  Governor  Mario  Cuomo  to  the New York State Court of
Appeals on March 23, 1993, the position she would  hold  until  December
31,  2008, after becoming the first woman to be appointed Chief Judge of
the State's highest court; and
 
  WHEREAS,  A  legal  scholar  with  a  keen  mind,  whose  visionary,
thoughtful  prose  and,  above  all,  unfaltering  belief in restorative
justice and fairness, throughout her 15 years as New York State's  Chief
Judge resulted in a period of unprecedented reform in the administration
of New York's Courts; she will be remembered for writing several notable
decisions on a wide variety of statutory, constitutional, and common law
issues; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Her  commitment  to strengthening New York's child welfare
system and her steadfast belief in the importance of family preservation
helped to improve the lives of countless people across the State; and
 
  WHEREAS, In recognition of Judith S.  Kaye's  outstanding  intellect
and  impeccable  work  ethic, she was the recipient of the 1997 Edith I.
Spivack Award from the New York County  Lawyers'  Association's  Women's
Rights Committee; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Under  Judith  S.  Kaye's  leadership,  New York State was
considered a national leader in court reform efforts and in establishing
problem-solving courts; working with the Fund for the City of New  York,
 
she helped establish the Center for Court Innovation, a non-profit think
tank  that,  although  independent  of  the  court system, serves as the
judiciary's research and development arm; and
 
  WHEREAS,  As  Chief Judge, Judith S. Kaye also served as Co-Chair of
the Commission on the American Jury of the American Bar Association from
2004-2005; Chair of the Permanent Judicial  Commission  on  Justice  for
Children;  founding  member  and  Honorary  Chair  of Judges and Lawyers
Breast Cancer Alert (JALBCA); member of the Board of Editors,  New  York
State   Bar   Journal;  and  Trustee  of  the  William  Nelson  Cromwell
Foundation; and
 
  WHEREAS, At the age of 70, Judith S.  Kaye  retired,  as  state  law
requires,  but  this  did  not end her period of public service; she was
appointed to the Commission  on  Judicial  Nomination  which  recommends
finalists  to the governor for positions on the Court of Appeals and was
elected as its Chair on May 21, 2009; and
 
  WHEREAS, Throughout her retirement, she continued to lend her  voice
and  vision for social reform by advocating for a more comprehensive and
holistic approach to the administration of justice in New York; and
 
  WHEREAS, At the time of her death, Judith S.  Kaye  was  serving  as
counsel at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in New York City; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Predeceased by her husband, Stephen Rackow Kaye, Judith S.
Kaye is survived by three children, and many grandchildren; and
 
  WHEREAS, She was truly a trailblazer for women and  families,  armed
with  a  humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion, Judith
S. Kaye's life was a portrait of  service,  a  legacy  which  will  long
endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all
she  served  and  befriended;  she  will be greatly missed by many; now,
therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
celebrate  the  life  and  exemplary  career  of The Honorable Judith S.
Kaye, former Chief Judge of the  Court  of  Appeals,  New  York  State's
highest court; and be it further
 
  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Judith S. Kaye.
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