Bronx County Democratic Chair Jamaal Bailey fulfilled his promise to nominate qualified judicial candidates who reflect and understand the unique fabric of The Bronx.
As an attorney—and particularly as a Black attorney—I can speak firsthand to the lack of diversity on the New York State judicial bench. I am a commercial litigator by trade but have also undertaken pro bono criminal case work.
One of my first court appearances remains seared in my memory: I was reprimanded by a judge for sitting in the first row, which is reserved for attorneys. A court officer approached and said, “You will have to move.” As a new attorney, I was unsure how to react. Part of me wanted to assert, “I am an attorney, sir!” but I knew such a response would not benefit my client.
Instead, I quietly said, “My apologies, Your Honor. I should have shown my secure pass before sitting down.” I presented my pass, and the court officer acknowledged it, while the judge simply said, “You may sit there.”
In contrast, during my first appearance in front of a Black judge, he did not question my status or assume I was in the wrong place. Ironically, I was not scheduled to appear before him that day, but I noticed a fellow Morehouse graduate struggling with his attorney. I stepped in to assist with his case. The judge, recognizing our shared history, was open to hearing my argument. This moment, built on trust and shared understanding, led to a fairer and more equitable outcome.
These experiences illustrate why it is essential to nominate qualified judges from diverse backgrounds. A judiciary that mirrors the community it serves fosters fairness, empathy, and trust. Bailey has consistently emphasized the need for judges who understand and reflect The Bronx. Inspired by his leadership, I spearheaded the passage of A4628, which created 28 new civil court judges across New York State, including three additional civil judicial positions in The Bronx.
This legislation was made possible through collaboration with Speaker Carl Heastie, Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and Bailey, who cosponsored the Fatherhood Initiative Bill with me, highlighting the severe family court case backlog across the state and particularly in The Bronx. With the crucial support of Codes Chair Jeffrey Dinowitz and Judiciary Chair Chuck Lavine, we secured bipartisan backing for this expansion, which Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law.
Bailey set to work ensuring that qualified candidates who care deeply about The Bronx were evaluated for nomination. The result? An unprecedented increase in judicial diversity. The legislation brought three additional judges to The Bronx, raising the number of judges on the ballot to seven. Of those, four were candidates of color, four were women, one is a member of the LGBTQIA community, and all had deep roots in The Bronx.
The elected judges reflect the community they serve: Elizer Rodriquez, Deidra Moore, Angel Cruz, Dawn Guglielmo, Scott Krompinger, Diomarys Escano-Bell, and Supreme Court Justice Matthew Parker-Raso, who made history as the first LGBTQIA judge elected in The Bronx. Bailey’s commitment to quality candidates and increasing diversity within the state’s judiciary will have a lasting impact, particularly in supporting the most underrepresented groups.
Bailey has supported the Dominican and Puerto Rican legal communities more than any other elected official since taking the helm of The Bronx Democratic Party, with the help of Senator Sepulveda and Assemblywoman Yudelka Tapia. Bailey challenged judicial candidates to engage with the community by knocking on doors and connecting with residents, regardless of whether they faced a primary or general election challenger. His goal was for candidates to gain firsthand knowledge of the community’s needs and be empathetic to the socio-economic challenges impacting The Bronx judicial system.
This approach resonated and gained support from NYCHA community advocate Maria Forbes, who previously critiqued judicial candidates for failing to campaign in neighborhoods most affected by the justice system. This year, candidates were visibly active in those communities; judicial candidates even joined my community cleanup projects in the South Bronx.
Landon Dais is an attorney and an Assemblymember representing the 77th District.
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