“These tremendously qualified jurists bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to New York’s Appellate Court,” Cuomo said. “I am honored to appoint these judges to their new roles where they will continue to uphold principles of law and fairness to move New York forward.”

Scheinkman’s appointment is a bit of a surprise as he never served on the bench in Brooklyn. However, he comes with impressive credentials having previously served as the administrative judge for the New York State Supreme Court, Ninth Judicial District, since 2009. He was elected to that court in 2006.

In his experience in the Ninth Judicial District, Scheinkman presided over Commercial Division matters, Residential Mortgage Foreclosures and Matrimonial trials, and also served as associate judge on the Appellate Term for the Ninth and 10th Judicial Districts. He is also credited with for his efforts as administrative judge with upgrading the court’s technology and case management while dealing with tough budget constraints.

Scheinkman was born in Newark, N.J., and raised in New Rochelle where he graduated from New Rochelle High School. He went to George Washington University and graduated from St. John’s University School of Law in 1975.

“I am deeply honored and humbled that Gov. Cuomo has selected me to lead the busiest appellate court in the country. I look forward to working with the dedicated and distinguished judges of the court to advance the cause of judicial excellence in our state.”

Chief Judge Janet DiFiore immediately praised Cuomo’s appointment of Scheinkman.

“I am extremely pleased by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s appointments of the Presiding Justices of the Appellate Division for the Second and Third Judicial Departments,” DiFiore said in a statement.

“Presiding Justice Alan Scheinkman, of the Second Department, is an extremely accomplished jurist and administrator,” DiFiore continued. “In addition to his service as the administrative judge of the 9th Judicial District encompassing the Lower Hudson Valley, from 2009 to 2011, Justice Scheinkman was an associate justice of the Appellate Term for the Ninth and 10th Judicial Districts. Because Second Department is known as the busiest intermediate level appellate court in the nation, Justice Scheinkman’s skill and experience as a highly regarded jurist and court administrator makes him an excellent choice.”

Scheinkman’s appointment to the court also comes with an appointment to the Administrative Board of the Courts, which helps to set policies within the Unified Court System.

The Second Department, which is the largest and busiest appellate department in the state, is comprised of 10 counties including Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, Long Island and parts of the Hudson Valley, and accounts for more than half of the state’s population.

---

Related Articles

Brooklyn federal judge keeps man in anger management after release violations

January 2 | By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor