Fund for Modern Courts praises Mamdani's judicial committee move

The Fund for Modern Courts said Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s constitution of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary is a key step toward filling New York City trial court vacancies with qualified judges. The committee’s work covers Family Court, Criminal Court and Civil Court appointments.

Why it matters: - The Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary helps determine who can be appointed to New York City’s Family Court, Criminal Court and Civil Court. - Filling current and future vacancies matters because open seats can slow access to the courts. - A timely selection process is meant to help ensure judges are highly qualified and serve with integrity and independence.

What happened: - The Fund for Modern Courts commended Mayor Zohran Mamdani on July 23, 2026, for constituting the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. - The announcement said the committee can now move forward with evaluating candidates for New York City trial court appointments. - Abbe R. Gluck, chair of the Fund for Modern Courts, said the committee’s constitution marks “an important milestone” in resuming the work of filling vacancies across the New York City court system.

The details: - The committee evaluates candidates for appointment to the Family Court, Criminal Court and Civil Court. - The Fund for Modern Courts said the process can now advance to help fill both current and future vacancies. - Gluck said a thoughtful and timely selection process is essential to filling vacancies with highly qualified judges who will serve New Yorkers with integrity and independence. - Gluck also said filling existing vacancies is critical to ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to the courts. - The Fund for Modern Courts said it has spent nearly 70 years advocating for an independent, merit-based judicial selection process. - The organization said it supports selection systems that are rigorous, transparent and designed to identify highly qualified candidates from across the legal profession.

Between the lines: - The statement signals support for a merit-focused judicial appointment process rather than one driven by politics or speed alone. - The organization is framing the committee’s constitution as a procedural reset for court staffing, not just an administrative update. - The emphasis on access to the courts suggests vacancies can affect the public directly, not just the judiciary internally.

What's next: - The advisory committee is expected to begin or continue evaluating candidates for judicial appointments. - The city can then move toward filling existing trial court vacancies and addressing future openings as they arise. - The Fund for Modern Courts is likely to keep pressing for a selection process it views as transparent and merit-based.