Before her judicial tenure, Judge White dedicated 25 years to the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Division, culminating as the attorney in charge of the Bronx Trial Office. Her career path was influenced by her early work in a grant-making foundation, a transformative mentorship with a retired civil rights lawyer, which eventually led her to pursue law at New York University, and her rich background, including an initial interest in acting and theater in Chicago.
“I didn’t think I started out coming to this profession,” Judge White admitted. “I started in Chicago studying acting, and I moved here to do theater. I was working part-time in a grant-making foundation just to make money, and an excellent civil rights lawyer who was retired and working at the foundation became a mentor and suggested I go into law.”
During the event, Judge White discussed the broad spectrum of cases handled by the Kings County Family Court, emphasizing its status as one of the busiest family courts in the nation. She stressed the court’s focus on viewing each family holistically, given the often-interconnected nature of various legal challenges they face.
Addressing the impact of COVID-19, Judge White explained how the court has managed to overcome initial backlogs and adapt to a hybrid operation model that accommodates the diverse needs of litigants, from those with physical disabilities to individuals who cannot afford to miss work for court appearances. This adaptive approach has proven successful, leveraging the benefits of technology to enhance accessibility and efficiency in the court system.
“We never shut down, but initially, we were only able to accommodate emergency requests,” Judge White said. “We were entirely virtual for a year and a half, so now we have a mix. Most trials are presumably in person, most intake is in person, but we have…
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