A welcomed appointment

Jenny Rivera, a Puerto Rican attorney and professor, today could become the second Hispanic judge on the New York Court of Appeals. Rivera’s confirmation would be a welcomed initiative by Andrew Gov. Cuomo in maintaining ethnic and gender diversity on the state’s top court.

Her appointment process has not been a walk in the park. Ever since Cuomo nominated Rivera for the position left vacant after the retirement of Judge Carmen B. Ciparick—the first Hispanic on the seven-member court—Senate Republicans have threatened to reject her nomination. They said she lacks judicial experience and questioned her focus on the civil rights of women and minorities. This, despite overwhelming support for Rivera’s nomination from legal experts, attorneys, former prosecutors and the State Bar.

Rivera was brought up in the Lower East Side by her mother, who worked in glove and hat factories. She was a law clerk for Sonia Sotomayor, back when she was a judge on the U.S. District Court in 1993. By 2007, Rivera was special deputy attorney general for civil rights.

She also worked as a lawyer for the Legal Aid Society and served as associate counsel for the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (LatinoJustice PRLDEF). From 2002 to 2007, she was director of the Commission on Human Rights in New York. Today, she is a law professor at CUNY and founder of its law School’s Center on Latino and Latina Rights and Equality.

In December, El Diario urged the governor to choose a Hispanic for this 14-year appointment. At the time, we put forth another nominee but we recognized the strength and stellar records of all the candidates, among them Rivera.

We’re convinced that Rivera has the professional standing to meet her obligations as a judge, and that her wealth of experience will help her contribute to the major decisions this court makes.

The final vote is scheduled for today. The Senate is expected to have overcome opposition to Rivera’s nomination and confirm her. Latinos proudly welcome Rivera to the Court of Appeals.