How and Why

If you think that this all feels wrong, then don't worry! You're not alone! Patrick first found out about this egregious legal loophole in late June 2023, when he noticed a yard sign promoting a town judicial candidate. He always knew that these were elected positions, but he wondered upon seeing this sign what the qualifications to run actually were. Much to his dismay, there really weren't any. According to NY government websites, and nycourts.gov, the only actual qualifications for town/village justice candidates are as follows below. Feel free to dig deeper and find the truth for yourself! 

Helpful links - https://www.nycourts.gov/legacyPDFs/ip/jcec/Judicial-Campaign-Ethics-Handbook.pdf

https://ww2.nycourts.gov/ip/jcec/faq.shtml#tvj

https://www.nycourts.gov/google/index-3.shtml#gsc.tab=0

https://www.elections.ny.gov/RunningOffice.html

https://cjc.ny.gov/Policy.Statements/town_&_village_courts.html#:~:text=Town%20and%20village%20court%20justices%20are%20the%20only%20judges%20in,to%20the%20practice%20of%20law.

Obviously, this presents a major issue. Not only are there no restrictions based on experience, but not even for age.  If elected, judges have to go through an extremely basic seminar that barely covers any issues they will likely experience, a fact made even more troubling if they have never worked in a court or been to law school.  Even more startling, the fact that New York is not the only state that does this- at least 20 other states have similarly loose laws. Lack of legal expertise is a clear problem if you are the deciding presence over a legal issue. Everybody who is potentially represented by a local magistrate without qualification needs to know about this. According to the New York Times, who published this piece in 2006, at the time of its publication, nearly 75% of all elected local NYS judges were not lawyers, and some did not even preside over real courtrooms. Today, the New York Law Journal puts the number closer to 60%, but the outcome is still the same. Many New York lack even high school education, and at least one never made it past the 6th grade. Just to scratch the surface, these unqualified justices have had such egregious violations of the most basic of legal proceedings, such as dealing jail sentences without plea nor trial, having no swearing in, refusing Miranda rights, refusing lawyers, denying witness/victim protection, and much more. We highly implore you to read the article for yourself, it is a perfect summation of the problem that our campaign wishes to bring to light. If for some reason, New York makes the decision to keep its current laws that allow these miscarriages of justice to occur, then the New Age of Justice Campaign would like to recommend everyone read this article on how to make informed decisions on choosing elected judges. There is a third option, and it is a large part of why this campaign is happening now. Bill S139-B is currently in the NY State Government. This bill would require restrictions on who may serve as local justices, however the restrictions only apply to the 100 largest towns in NYS, out of more than 870 . This is not a viable option, especially since the New York population grows by thousands a year, with over 1700 town justices. 

law.com/newyorklawjournal/2023/06/07/bill-aims-to-exclude-non-lawyers-from-judicial-posts-in-high-volume-village-and-town-courts/   

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/nyregion/25courts.html

http://chooseyourjudges.org/commentaries/what-information-should-voters-use-when-choosing-judges/

Special Thanks

Patrick would like to personally give a special thank you to some specific people that helped him get to where he is today.

• Mrs. Jen Wheeler

Mrs. Wheeler is an amazing teacher, and every student she has ever had the pleasure of enlightening agrees. It is her perfect mix of passionate, knowledgeable, and compassionate that make every moment spent with her a wondrous occasion. I first met Mrs. Wheeler in the spring of my freshman year, when made my run for Class President. I had photoshopped my face onto an image of Rick Astley dancing, and claimed that I was "Never Gonna Give Up" my class, and that was a promise you "wouldn't get from any other guy," before proceeding to print out north of 50 large posters in 6 different colors hung all over the school. She then hunted me down and convinced me to take her college-level marketing class for the following year. Taking that class was the best decision I ever made. Mrs. Wheeler and I quickly became close friends, and to this day I consider her my most supportive and important ally in any endeavor I now take. Without her, I would not be in the unique position I find myself today, and would not achieve nearly as much success as I hope to achieve in the future both distant and near. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you Mrs. Wheeler.

• Cindy Turgeon

Cindy is my wonderfully supportive boss at local business Cupola Coffee, and one of the guiding forces behind this campaign. She convinced me to pull the trigger and actually go for it. I couldn't have done it without you! Thank you Cindy.

• Mr. Travis Dillabough

Mr. Dillabough was my teacher for 10th grade Global History, and is almost certainly the best history teacher I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. He made lessons fun and engaging, while also going above and beyond to make sure we were both learning more than just required NYS curriculum, and actually learning at all. He fostered a welcoming environment and helped me continue my quest for knowledge, while also making history an enjoyable experience for kids who likely would not have liked being there otherwise. You're one of the best, and I suggest you let that one marinate! Thank you Mr. Dillabough, stay good.

• Tom Hanks

What can I say, he's America's Dad! I actually came up with this idea while driving home from his new movie with Wes Anderson, Asteroid City (highly recommend). I noticed a road sign while taking the back way home that said "ELECT *******, TOWN JUSTICE,'' and that is what led me to wonder what the qualifications for Justice actually are in New York. Without it, I would never have found the worrisome truth about the New York State local legal system. Besides the fact that Catch Me If You Can and Sleepless in Seattle are two of my favorite movies, and that he is by far my favorite actor, I wouldn't have started this campaign if it weren't for Mr. Thomas Jeffrey Hanks. Thank you Tom Hanks.

• Mike Nyhan

Mike Nyhan was my grandfather, who sadly passed away suddenly from surgery complications in December 2019. He helped raised me and helped instill both my love for nature, and love for people. I have never met anyone like him. One specific story that has become legend in our family is how once, while on vacation, he was waiting in a line behind a young couple and struck up conversation. Twenty minutes later, they invited him out to dinner. He was a truly unique soul that had love for everyone and anyone, and was gifted enough to show people how wonderful the world was. Even as a complete stranger. He was a career educator, volunteer EMT, avid birder, and supportive parent to anyone that needed him. I would be someone fundamentally different without him, and certainly not as outgoing or outspoken. Thank you.

• The Amazing Nyhan Family

To my wonderful family, there is too much to say that will fit in a quick, snappy paragraph. You are my chief supporters and have obviously made me who I am today. Thank you.