Hero Judge of the Day: Hon. Fern A. Fisher

Ignoring Politics, Judge Acts in the Interest of Justice
Judge Fern Fisher has expanded the authority of District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr., in the Vito Lopez sex harassment and cover-up scandal to include the actions of attorney/politician Sheldon Silver. The special prosecutor can now explore allegations that public monies were used to cover-up crimes- a time tested scheme in New York to protect wrong-doing by insiders.  It is unknown whether the Appellate Division, First Department, Departmental Disciplinary Committee has begun an ethics inquiry into attorney Sheldon Silver. Court records show: Sheldon Silver, Sheldon Silver, Esq., 700 Broadway, 8th floor, New York, New York 10003-9536 (tel: 212-558-5617); admitted to practice in New York State in 1969, and a graduate of Brooklyn Law School. See Related Stories:

• The New York Times, "Judge Widens Scope of Prosecutor's Investigation in Lopez Case" by Danny Hakim and William K. Rashbaum, September 7, 2012.
• "Cuomo Pitches a Fit," The New York Post, EDITORIAL, September 8, 2012,
• "Probe of Vito Lopez sex-harass case will examine Shedon Silver's role," The New York Post by Erik Kriss, September 6, 2012.
• "GOP to feds: Probe Silver," The New York Post by Michael Gartland, September 8, 2012.

Other Hero Judges of the Day:

• Judge Calls Man in NYC Bus Lawsuit a Crook, Recuses Self
• Judge Sanctions Prosecutor for Misconduct
• Growing Epidemic: NY Judges Bucking Old Corrupt Club Rules
• Citing "Rule of Moderation," Judge Cuts Law Firm's Fees by Over $400,000
• Hon. Joseph W. Bellacosa Writes About Corrupt Judicial 'Ethics' Committee
• New York Judge Stands Up to Corrupt Banks
• Judge 'Shocked' by 'Cowboy Culture' of Narcotics Cops
• Judge Sanctions Bank and Law Firm in Foreclosure Case
• Justice James A. Catterson on Exorbitant $40 Million Fee
• Judge Thomas K. Keefe Backs 1st Amendment Rights
• Judge Arthur M. Schack, Judicial Don Quixote, Tosses Bad Foreclosure Cases
• Federal Judge Michael Mills to Public Thug, "But You Destroyed the Faith of the People in Their Government."

Hon. Fern A. Fisher

Justice Fisher serves as Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York City Courts and is also charged with state-wide responsibility for access to justice issues. Justice Fisher's career started in the Civil Court as a Legal Services attorney practicing in Manhattan Housing Court. Justice Fisher served as Deputy Director of Harlem Legal Services, Inc. and as an Assistant Attorney General of the New York State Department of Law. For four years, she provided pro bono legal services to Harlem-based community organizations as a project director of the National Conference of Black Lawyers. In 1989, she was appointed Judge of the Housing Part of the Civil Court, and later, in 1990, was elected to the Civil Court where she served as Deputy Supervising Judge. Justice Fisher was elected in 1993 to the Supreme Court of the State of New York where she was assigned to the City and Matrimonial Parts. In December 1996, she was appointed Administrative Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York where she served until March 2009 when she was appointed to her current position. Justice Fisher contributes the views from the bench in Residential Landlord-Tenant Law in New York, a practice guide by Lawyers Cooperative Publishing. She served as the host of a series of television shows on housing issues for Crosswalk's, a public service cable show. Justice Fisher is a founding member of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association and is a member of Judicial Friends (an affiliate of the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association), the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the New York County Lawyers Association. Justice Fisher also served as the Chair of the Housing Court (Judges) Disciplinary Committee and Chair of the Anti-Bias Committee of the New York County Supreme Court. In 2006 she was the recipient of the Harvard Law School Gary Bellow Public Interest Award. She received her B.A. summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa in 1975 from Howard University and a J.D. in 1978 from Harvard Law School.

Office of the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge,    Courts within New York City
111 Centre Street
New York, NY 10013 
(646) 386-4200