Hon. Andrew Borrok sworn in as Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice

January 11, 2018 By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Borough President Eric Adams presents Hon. Andrew Borrok with a citation during his installation to the Brooklyn Supreme Court. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese

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Hon. Andrew Borrok, who has previously served in Brooklyn’s Criminal and Civil courts, was officially sworn in as NYS Supreme Court Justice during a special ceremony held at Borough Hall on Monday.

“Tonight I’m so pleased to welcome Andrew Borrok as our newest justice in the Brooklyn Supreme Court,” said Hon. Lawrence Knipel, administrative judge for the Kings County Supreme Court, Civil Term. “With his years of experience in private practice, followed by more years in the lower courts, Justice Borrok is highly qualified to assume his duties as justice of the Supreme Court in Brooklyn, which is in fact the busiest civil term in the state and maybe even the nation.”

The ceremony was held in the ceremonial courtroom of Borough Hall. Dylan Dinko led the audience of roughly 100 in the Pledge of Allegiance before Beverly Norman Thomas took over for the national anthem.

Andrew Fisher served as the master of ceremony for the event while the speakers included Hon. Frank Seddio, Brooklyn Democratic Party chairman; Assemblymember Annette Robinson; Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams; Brooklyn Criminal Court Supervising Judge Michael Yavinsky; and Hon. George Silver, interim administrative justice for the NYS Supreme Court in the Bronx. Hon. Alan Schenkman, presiding justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, also joined the group at the dais.

“It is truly a great achievement. Andrew Borrok has succeeded in reaching out to our leaders and working with them diligently,” Seddio said. “He’s a genuinely good guy and that was recognized when the time came for a selection of a nominee.”

When Brooklyn Borough President Adams presented Borrok with a citation on behalf of his office, he spoke about Borrok’s work away from the bench that made him so special.

“I applaud his service as a judge for the city of New York since 2014, but I want to point out some of the things he does off the bench,” Adams said. “His aspirations around Meals on Wheels, helping to provide meals for people who are in need. When we go outside of ourselves and give back in a real way it’s a reflection of what they’re going to do in their professional life.”

Yavinsky admitted that despite Borrok’s many professional accomplishments that he worried that he might not like working as a judge and feared that he may just go through the motions. Yavinsky was proud to say that turned out not to be the case and, in fact, even asked Yavinsky for additional work, and asked if he could do an additional jury trial after he finished with his calendar for the day.

“It wasn’t clear, exactly, how his assignment to the criminal court would work out,” Yavinsky said. “Would he be not challenged with the work? Would the hours or volume be overwhelming?

Would he just go through the motions until he could punch his ticket to some other destination?

To the county leaders and voters of Brooklyn, I am here to tell you that the answer to all of those things was a resounding No. Andrew Borrok showed up to Criminal Court with his sleeves rolled up from day one.”

Borrok was then officially robed by his wife Tanya Borrok and then sworn in by Hon. George Silver.

After the ceremony was over, Borrok took to the podium to thank his many supporters, family and friends in attendance. He joked that if it had not been for the retirement of Justice Martin Solomon that his ascension to the Supreme Court would not have been possible. Borrok closed to speech by talking about the great responsibilities of being a judge.

“The power of the judge is undeniably awesome and carries with it significant responsibility,” Borrok said.

“For my part, and within bounds of these fundamental principles of judicial restraint and separation of powers, I will work hard to take the responsibility of the office of judge very seriously,” he continued. “I pledge to continue to work hard, to continue to respect the parties and attorneys who appear before me as I fairly and impartially get my decisions right.”