A tribute to presiding Justice Anthony V. Cardona: vision and resolve.

• Author: Novack, Michael J.
• Position: New York Court of Appeals - Testimonial

The old saying "justice is blind" is often used to describe the essential fairness and impartiality which is expected to imbue every judicial determination. However, it could also describe the lighting conditions which had existed in the courtroom of the Appellate Division, Third Department, in Albany's Empire State Plaza, since that room's construction in the early 1970s. Simply stated, the lighting in our courtroom was inadequate at best and downright dim at worst. The high-coffered ceiling, recessed light fixtures, wood-paneled walls, and dark blue carpeting combined to create an almost chapel-like environment which made squinting a popular past-time for the judges, lawyers, and citizens who attended proceedings in this otherwise impressive chamber. Over the years, attempts to correct the problem were made, but nothing seemed to work. This unfortunate situation continued until, at some point in the mid-1990s, Justice Anthony V. Cardona, a few short years after he became presiding justice, suggested--or more accurately directed--that the problem had persisted long enough and should be rectified. Justice may be blind, the PJ reasoned, but the judges and lawyers were nonetheless entitled to clearly see their written work and each other; they were also entitled to a dignified and attractive setting in which matters before the court could be heard and determined. Soon thereafter, a corrective project was initiated. The staff, predictably, was thinking small and totally "inside the box." We were content to basically replace some light fixtures and carpeting in the courtroom and leave the rest of the premises in status quo, namely shopworn, shabby, and simply worn-out after thirty years of hard use. The Presiding Justice, as would become his regular practice, was thinking big and definitely "outside the box." He urged that a comprehensive renovation of the court's facilities be undertaken, one which would provide the court with a facility befitting its work and best serve the needs of the lawyers and litigants who would use it for years to come. The result of his persistence and forward thinking was the beautiful but functional 2005 renovation of the entire appellate division premises in what was then known as the Justice Building (now the Robert Abrams Building for Law and Justice).

The magnificent courtroom and justices' conference room, and the attractively appointed staff offices, serve as a constant reminder (to this writer) of Presiding...