Brooklyn says goodbye to retiring Justice Yvonne Lewis

December 3, 2015 By Rob Abruzzese Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Hon. Rose H. Sconiers (right) and Hon. Deborah Dowling (left) present Hon. Yvonne Lewis with an award upon her retirement to mark her years of service at the Kings County Supreme Court. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese.

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Justice Yvonne Lewis is set to retire at the end of the year after 24 years of dedicated service in the Kings County Supreme Court, and the court’s employees weren’t about to let her go without a goodbye party.

More than 100 judges, lawyers, clerks, court officers and other court employees packed into a courtroom at 360 Adams St. for a goodbye luncheon for Justice Lewis on Wednesday afternoon, which gave everyone a chance to say goodbye to the beloved judge.

“Judge Lewis is the second African-American woman elected to the Supreme Court in Kings County,” said Justice Deborah Dowling, who acted as MC for the event. “Not only that, but she is one of the most senior African-American jurists in the state of New York. She deserves to be honored and commended for the great work that she’s done throughout her career and the service she’s done for the people of Kings County.”

Just fewer than a dozen people got up to give speeches, say goodbye and share a personal moment about Justice Lewis. Dowling joked about being called “the fifth” upon arrival at the court as in the fifth African-American to be elected in the Kings County Supreme Court. Administrative Justice Lawrence Knipel confessed that Justice Lewis was the only person to ever buy him flowers.

“When we were in Civil Court, we had to do Small Claims Court for a week and we had to switch back and forth,” Knipel said. “I had covered for Judge Lewis one week and she was going to pay me back by covering for me another week, but in the interim she was elected to the Supreme Court and wouldn’t be able to cover it. She was such a considerate person, I’m 63-years-old, and it was the only time in my life that anyone has sent me flowers.”

Justice Sylvia Hinds-Radix credited Lewis with being an early mentor for her.

“This, for me, is a bittersweet moment,” said Hinds-Radix. “I have followed you all of my legal career. It was around 1986 when I walked into the Civil Court in Brooklyn. I had no idea about practicing law and there was this woman. She has been a mentor ever since that day.”

Many commented how Justice Lewis was a fearless fighter for civil rights and how she inspired many of them to not back down from confrontation when it came to the issue. Marc Levine of the Gay/Straight Alliance of the New York State Justice System said that she wasn’t afraid to stand up for gay rights either.

“Yvonne Lewis was a keynote speaker at one of the Pride events for the Alliance,” Levine said. “She has been a stand for diversity for all people and she’s an amazing bundle of love.”

Justice Lewis is expected to officially step down from her position on Dec. 31. There was no question among anyone in attendance on Wednesday that she will be sorely missed from the Brooklyn Supreme Court.

“I want to hide under the table right now,” Lewis joked after being praised for many of her long-time co-workers for nearly an hour. “Thank you so much for taking the time. It’s really very humbling to see so many of you here. So many of you have made this life that I have led. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I cannot thank you enough for coming. I am honored by your presence and I can’t wait to be gone.”