Governor Paterson Announces Judicial Nominations

ALBANY, NY (04/16/2010)(readMedia)-- Governor David A. Paterson today announced that he has nominated the Honorable Lawrence H. Ecker to fill an interim vacancy in Supreme Court, Ninth Judicial District, the Honorable Bernard J. Fried to fill an interim vacancy in Supreme Court, Tenth Judicial District and the Honorable Barry E. Warhit to fill an interim vacancy in Westchester County.

Under the New York State Constitution, the Governor may nominate individuals to fill vacancies on the County Court and Supreme Court until those vacancies can be filled at the next general election. If the Governor's nominations are confirmed by the Senate, each individual will serve until December 31, 2010.

The Honorable Lawrence H. Ecker has been nominated to serve as a Justice of the Supreme Court, Ninth Judicial District, filling a vacancy created by the removal of Justice Joseph S. Alessandro. He is currently a Village Justice in Irvington, New York, a position he has held since 1993. Justice Ecker is also currently a Partner in the law firm of Ecker & Ecker, LLP (formerly Ecker, Loehr, Ecker & Ecker, LLP), a position he has held since 1974. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Syracuse University in 1968, and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 1972. From 1972 to 1974, Justice Ecker was an Associate Counsel at the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County. From 1988 to 1989, he was an Acting Village Justice in North Tarrytown, New York. From 1990 to 1993, Justice Ecker was an Acting Village Justice in Irvington.

The Honorable Bernard J. Fried has been nominated to serve as a Justice of the Supreme Court, Tenth Judicial District, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Justice Joseph P. Spinola. He currently serves as an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court, New York County, Commercial Division, First Judicial District, a position he has held since 2004. Justice Fried received his Bachelor of Science from Alfred University in 1962 and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 1965, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Brooklyn Law Review. From 1966 to 1969, Justice Fried served as a Judge Advocate General in the United States Army. From 1970 to 1972, Justice Fried was a Senior Fulbright Scholar in Korea where he taught classes in American Law at Seoul National University and served as a Senior Fellow at the International Legal Center. From 1973 to 1976, he was Chief of the Narcotics Section in the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. From 1976 to 1977, Justice Fried served as Chief of the Appeals Division in the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. From 1977 to 1978, he was the Chief of the Criminal Division in the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. From 1978 to 1980, Justice Fried was Chief Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. From 1980 to 1984, Justice Fried served as a Judge on the Criminal Court of the City of New York. From 1984 to 1989, he served as an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court, Bronx County, Criminal Branch, Twelfth Judicial District. From 1989 to 2004, he was an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court, New York County, Criminal Branch, First Judicial District, serving as an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court, New York County, Civil Term, First Judicial District, from 1997 to 1999.

The Honorable Barry E. Warhit has been nominated to serve as a Judge of the Westchester County Court, filling a vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Jeffrey Cohen, who was elected to Supreme Court in 2009. Judge Warhit currently serves as an Acting Village Justice for the Tarrytown Village Court, a position he has held since 2006. He also serves as an Acting Judge of the City Court for the Mount Vernon and New Rochelle City Courts and as an Acting Village and Town Justice for the Villages of Sleepy Hollow and Ardsley, and the Town of Ossining. Finally, Justice Warhit is also engaged in private practice, focusing on criminal litigation, and has run his own law office since 1994. Justice Warhit received his Bachelor of Science from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1978 and his J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 1981. From 1981 to 1982, Justice Warhit was an associate at the firm of Otterbourg, Steindler, Houston & Rosen. From 1982 to 1985, He served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. From 1986 to 1989, Justice Warhit was an associate at the law firm of Lester, Schwab, Katz & Dwyer. From 1990 to 1994, Justice Warhit worked for Devonshire Tire Company, a family owned retail business.

The annual salary for the nomination to the Supreme Court and the County Court in Westchester County is $136,700. These nominations are subject to Senate confirmation.

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