Susan Liebman for Civil Court Judge- Kings County

1) Endorsements So Far

IND, Jim Owles Lib Dem Club, Diana Gonzalez, Mark Hanna, Joanne Simon

2) Judicial Screening Results So Far

Found highly qualified by Brooklyn Judicial Screening Committee

3) What is your current position/law practice?

Principal Law Clerk

4) Why are you qualified to be a judge?

I have supported my own brother in his journey exploring his sexuality and his identity. He is 68 years old and is only now comfortable in expressing the feelings and thoughts he had as a boy child wishing to be a girl and to admit this to himself. I have resolved custody issues involving a trans child with one supportive parent and one not supportive. My personal life experiences within my own family and friends together with my proven legal skills make me qualified to be a Judge

5) What interventions and resources are required to ensure that all judges and court personnel competently and respectfully serve and work with the LGBTQ community?

My brother has volunteered to talk to groups about his own experiences. I never told my parents when I caught him trying on my clothes. We can explain the updated laws designed to protect kids. I plan to present a CLE on these issues when this judicial race is over.

6) How will you commit to ensuring that preferred pronouns and gender identity are respected in your courtroom and on documents prepared by litigators and the court?

When drafting documents I consistently use gender neutral pronouns when I don’t know the preferred pronouns. Signs will be posted to remind litigants and attorneys and court staff to always use correct pronouns respectfully.

7) Will you commit to appearing before the LGBT Bar Association (“LeGaL”) judicial screening panel?  Do you understand that this club may rescind your endorsement for failure to appear or receiving a non-qualified rating from the association?

Yes

8) There are many aspects of the legal system that have contributed and continue to contribute to inequality and injustice (mass incarceration, right-wing anti-democracy judges, etc.) What would you do in your role as a judge to build a more just and fair legal system?

When I was in college, I participated in a program called Scared Straight where so called “lifers” convicted of murder, at Rahway State Prison in NJ, showed kids we brought in what would happen if they continued on the path they were on. These kids were able to select the program instead of incarceration for a first offense. I would love to bring that program back because I know firsthand that it was successful. I followed some of our kids and they all went on to live happy productive lives.