| NEW YORK - Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye and Governor George
E. Pataki today joined with state and local officials in a ground-breaking
ceremony for the Judicial Institute - the first judicial training and research
facility in the nation built by and for a state court system. The Institute
will be housed at the Pace Law School campus, where it will have complete
access to the university's faculty, students and library and benefit from
the synergy of this unique partnership between the New York courts and
academia.
Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye stated, "The Judiciary has a responsibility
to stay abreast of pressing societal issues, such as domestic violence,
drug addiction, juvenile crime and environmental abuses, and actively consider
whether the courts are meeting the needs of the public. In this regard,
the Judicial Institute will be a valuable resource to the court system,
providing a venue for research and development regarding justice issues,
as well as serving as a hub for judicial scholarship. It is the first center
in the nation to be devoted exclusively to judicial training and research
at the state level and, as such, epitomizes the commitment to innovation
and progress for which New York's courts have become known. I thank the
Governor and the Legislature for supporting the creation of this pioneering
Institute, which will surely raise the bar of excellence for the state's
judiciary."
Governor Pataki said, "I'm proud and honored to stand today with men
and women who have a vision of justice and how it can be accomplished in
our legal system. Our laws are only as good as the people who oversee them,
and this Judicial Institute - the first ever - will ensure that we have the
finest judiciary and court system possible. I thank Judges Kaye and Lippman
for their hard work to make this Institute a reality."
The Judicial Institute will provide a forum for:
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Identification of new and emerging legal, technological, social, criminal
and administrative trends affecting the courts
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Continuing education through courses, seminars and conferences
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Advanced study of how interdisciplinary influences, such as technology,
medicine, ethics and the social sciences, affect the law and the judicial
process
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Participation in cooperative education programs involving other branches
of government, as well as other state and federal judicial systems
Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman said, "With the establishment
of the Judicial Institute, New York will be at the forefront of judicial
education and training nationally. The Institute, which is a cooperative
effort of the Judiciary, the Governor, the Legislature and Pace University,
will provide a permanent, year-round facility for the court system's judicial
education programs, and its affiliation with Pace University School of
Law will infuse it with the energy inherent in an environment of higher
learning. I am delighted to participate in today's ground-breaking ceremony,
which marks the beginning of construction for this innovative new Institute."
Pace University President David Caputo said, "Pace University Law School
is uniquely positioned to support and enhance judicial education in New
York State. In partnership with the Judicial Institute, Pace Law School
provides five valuable resources: innovative education techniques, faculty
expertise, student talent, research and, technological innovation. In addition,
Pace Law School and the Judicial Institute will benefit from the input
and resources of Pace University including: the Dyson College of Arts and
Sciences; Lubin School of Business; School of Computer Science and Information
Systems; School of Education and the Lienhard School of Nursing."
The Judicial Institute will be governed by a Board of Trustees, consisting
of judges, legislators, law professors and practicing attorneys. It will
be operated by court personnel, and the court system will reimburse Pace
for expenses related to maintenance of the physical plant. Construction
costs for the three-story facility are estimated at $15 million, which
will be provided through the Court Facility Incentive Aid Fund. The State
Dormitory Authority has issued bonds to finance the construction, with
the Institute's opening slated for 2002. |
