Brooklyn Dems endorse ‘diverse and capable’ women candidates for civil court
Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair, Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and the Executive Committee of the Kings County Democratic County Committee said on Friday that they have endorsed three candidates for the position of Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York.
Bichotte Hermelyn, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, told Caribbean Life that the endorsements took place during a special meeting of the leaders on Feb. 15.
The endorsements are: Turquoise Haskin, Esq., Alexis Riley, Esq., and Tehilah Berman, Esq.
Bichotte Hermelyn said the candidates were overwhelmingly supported by the Party’s Executive Committee during “the open and transparent meeting”.
“The Brooklyn Democratic Party is honored to endorse three highly experienced candidates for Civil Court that Brooklynites can depend on to deliver fair and impartial justice with an acute understanding of their diverse cultures,” she said.
“We are committed to diversifying the bench with capable judges who deeply understand, reflect, and are committed to delivering equitable justice for our diverse Borough,” she added, stating that the party was “proud to endorse three highly-capable women candidates with decades of experience in handling complex court matters and uplifting our communities through public service.”
Bichotte Hermelyn said the endorsements “showcased the proud support for our Democratic process, and all three candidates were deemed qualified by the Judicial Screening Committee for the role of Judge of the Civil Court.”
She said Civil Court judges serve terms of 10 years, and handle certain small claims cases, and landlord-tenant cases.
The endorsed candidates are on the ballot during the Jun. 25 Primary Election.
About Endorsed Candidates
Turquoise Haskin, Esq. is a Brooklyn native and a principal court attorney for a Kings County Supreme Court Justice.
Over her 16+ years as an attorney, Haskin has worked on the resolution and disposition of thousands of cases affecting every day New Yorkers. Notably, she has worked directly with her judge in dispensing justice on close to 400 jury trials and hearings in Kings County Civil and Supreme Courts.
Her commitment to the law, justice, and the people of the city extends into her role as a special referee of Uncontested Matrimonial matters, where she evaluates petitions, and issues judgments of divorce in the courts.
She also gained a great wealth of legal experience at key governmental agencies, and in the private sector as a law firm associate.
Haskin earned her Bachelor’s Degree of Science in marketing from New York University’s Stern School of Business, and a Juris Doctor degree from the Emory University School of Law.
Alexis Riley, Esq. has over 10 years of legal experience, including seven as a law clerk in the New York State Unified Court System. She currently serves as the principal law clerk to the Hon. Wayne P. Saitta.
Riley received her law degree from New York Law School. Shortly after graduation, she worked for Barack Obama’s 2012 Presidential campaign.
She resides in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, where she has been an active community leader for over 19 years.
Riley is proudly a member of numerous Democratic clubs and community groups throughout Brooklyn and New York City.
A strong believer in the importance of education and mentoring the next generation of leaders, Riley has also spent over eight years as an Adjunct Professor at Pace University and Long Island University – Brooklyn.
Tehilah N. Berman, Esq. was born and raised in Brooklyn, and it is where she lives with her husband of 26 years and four sons.
She started at NYU College of Arts & Science at 16, where she served as a teaching assistant in the subject of Mathematical Thinking.
Berman graduated at the age 20, with a BA Cum Laude and Honors in History, and then attended Brooklyn Law School, graduated and was admitted to the New York Bar at age 23.
While she attended law school, Berman worked as a law clerk in the ERISA Litigation Section of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, where she drafted appeals that were successfully argued in the 4th Circuit United States Court of Appeals.
On raising her four sons, Berman changed the trajectory of her career to public service. Her passion for justice caused her to turn her attention to criminal appeals and post-conviction proceedings. She committed thousands of hours pro bono to vacating the convictions of indigent defendants who were wrongfully convicted.
Berman serves as a principal law clerk to the Hon. Katherine A. Levine, Justice of the Supreme Court of Kings County, after having served as the principal court attorney to her in the Civil Court of Kings County.
