Senate Resolution No. 1683

BY: Senator BRESLIN

HONORING The Honorable Jeanette Ruiz upon the
occasion of her designation as recipient of the
2019 Howard A. Levine Award for Excellence in
Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare by the New York
State Bar Association's Committee on Children and
the Law

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and
sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their
profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all
the citizens of this great Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
The Honorable Jeanette Ruiz upon the occasion of her designation as
recipient of the 2019 Howard A. Levine Award for Excellence in Juvenile
Justice and Child Welfare by the New York State Bar Association's
Committee on Children and the Law to be celebrated at its Awards
Reception and Ceremony on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, in the Great Hall at
State Bar Center in Albany, New York; and

WHEREAS, Each year, the New York State Bar Association's Committee
on Children and the Law presents the Howard A. Levine Award for
Excellence in Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare to recognize
individuals who have done outstanding work to improve New York's child
welfare and juvenile justice systems; Judge Jeanette Ruiz is one such
individual; and

WHEREAS, First appointed to the Family Court bench in 2007, Judge
Jeanette Ruiz has served as a Trial Judge in Kings County Family Court
and Bronx County Family Court, presiding over juvenile delinquency and
child protective cases, and was Supervising Judge of Kings County Family
Court from 2012-2015; and

WHEREAS, Since 2015, Judge Jeanette Ruiz has held the title of
Administrative Judge of the New York City Family Court; in this
capacity, she was instrumental in the Court's conversion to fully
digital record-keeping, becoming the first and largest fully digital
court in the state; and

WHEREAS, Under the luminous leadership of Judge Jeanette Ruiz, the
New York City Family Court also drafted and implemented a Strategic Plan
for its future, the goals of which are closely aligned with those of the
Excellence Initiative introduced by the Honorable Janet DiFiore, Chief
Judge of the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, A true asset to her profession, Judge Jeanette Ruiz is a
vital member of the New York State Unified Court System's Family Court
Advisory and Rules Committee, the New York State Unified Court System's
Commission on Parental Representation, and the New York State Permanent
Judicial Commission on Justice for Children, the New York City and New
York State Family Court Judges Associations, the New York City and New

York State Bar Associations, and the Brooklyn Women's Bar Association;
and

WHEREAS, Judge Jeanette Ruiz also serves on the board of the Latino
Judges Association, and frequently speaks on family law topics at the
New York State Judicial Institute; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when
individuals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens
of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor The Honorable Jeanette Ruiz upon the occasion of her designation
as recipient of the 2019 Howard A. Levine Award for Excellence in
Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare by the New York State Bar
Association's Committee on Children and the Law; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Jeanette Ruiz.