Justice
Cornelius received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State
University of New York at Binghamton in 1959 and Juris Doctorate
degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1962. He has
been admitted to practice law in the State of New York and Florida,
and also before the United States District Court, Western District
of New York and the United States Supreme Court.
Between
1962 and 1965, Justice Cornelius was associated with a Rochester law
firm, now known as Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP. In 1965, he was
appointed an Assistant District Attorney for the Monroe County
District Attorney's Office, and served in that capacity until 1977,
during which time held the positions of Special Assistant, Second
Assistant, Chief Trial Assistant, and First Assistant District
Attorney.
In
1977, Justice Cornelius was elected a Monroe County Family Court
Judge, and served on this court between 1978 and 1985. During his
service as a Family Court Judge, Justice Cornelius received
temporary assignments as Acting Monroe County Surrogate, Acting
Orleans Family Court Judge, and as Acting County Court Judge, in
Monroe County, as well as in the Counties of Erie, Nassau and
Suffolk. In addition, in 1983, the New York Constitution was amended
to permit Family Court Judges to serve as Acting Supreme Court
Justices, and be thereafter appointed in that capacity.
In
1985, Justice Cornelius was elected a Supreme Court Justice for the
Seventh Judicial District, and in 1999 was re-elected to that court.
He has presided over cases in all counties of the district, and also
has been assigned to preside over criminal trials in Westchester
County and civil trials in New York County. Judicially related
appointments have included the newly found Litigation Coordinating
Panel, for the State of New York, which will coordinate
multi-district tort litigation, Supervising Judge of the Criminal
Courts for the Seventh Judicial District (1989-1991), Representative
to the Judicial Conference for the Fourth Department(1995), and
Chair of the Cayuga County Jury Board(1992 to 2001).
Membership
in professional organizations have included the Florida Bar
Association, Monroe County Bar Association (Co-Chair Bench/Bar
Committee 1988-1990), New York State Supreme Court Justices
Association and Seventh Judicial District Supreme Court Justices'
Association(President 1991). Justice Cornelius has been involved in
many activities related to legal education. These have included
participation in the Judicial Seminars, presented by the New York
State Office of Court Administration (1982, 1989, 1993, 1994, 2001),
lecturer for the Monroe County Bar Association Jury Selection
seminar (2002), Evidence seminar(1996), and Article 81, Mental
Hygiene Law seminar (1998), Co-Chair of the New York State Supreme
Court Justices' Association education committee (1992-1994,
1995-1996), and a current member and Dean-elect of the Monroe County
Bar Association's Academy of Law Committee.
