Senate Resolution No. 583

BY: Senator KAPLAN

COMMENDING The Honorable Thomas F. Liotti upon the
occasion of his retirement after many years of
distinguished service as Justice of the Village of
Westbury, New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay tribute to those singular individuals who devote their purposeful
lives and careers to preserving the rights and protecting the welfare of
the citizens of their community and the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, The quality and character of life in the Westbury community
has been ably served and uniquely enriched through the selfless
dedication and benevolent concern of Judge Thomas F. Liotti; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend The
Honorable Thomas F. Liotti upon the occasion of his retirement after
many years of distinguished service as Justice of the Village of
Westbury, New York; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from Plainview Old Bethpage High School in
Long Island, New York in 1965, Thomas F. Liotti attended Ohio State
University before earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Adelphi
University in 1970; and

WHEREAS, Thomas F. Liotti went on to earn a Master's degree in
Public Administration from CUNY, as well as a Juris Doctor degree in
1976, from the Delaware Law School, where he was a published member of
the Law Review and President of the Student Bar Association; he also
attended New York University School of Law, completing its Masters of
Law Program in Taxation; and

WHEREAS, Thomas F. Liotti began his illustrious career when he was
appointed as Chair of the Code Review Commission for the Incorporated
Village of Westbury; during this time, he served on the Criminal Justice
Act Panel in the Southern District of New York (1981-1987), and in the
Eastern District of New York (1978-1991); and

WHEREAS, From approximately 1981-1984, Thomas F. Liotti served on
the Article 18-B Trial and Appeals Panels in the Appellate Division,
First Department; beginning in 1978, and for 25 years thereafter, he
also served on the Article18-B Panel in Nassau; and

WHEREAS, Thomas F. Liotti served on the first committee which
established the Major Felony and Homicide Panels in Nassau County and on
a separate committee of the Bar Association of Nassau County which
mandated CLE for Article 18-B panelists; this was the first mandatory
CLE program in the State for lawyers; additionally, he founded and
established the Assigned Counsel Sub-Committee for State and Federal
Courts of the Criminal Law and Procedure Committee, Bar Association of
Nassau County; and

WHEREAS, From 1984 to 1986, this extraordinary man served pro bono
publico, as a Judge on Nassau County Medical Malpractice Panels; in

1985, he brought about a major investigation of conditions at the
Metropolitan Correction Center in New York, where he was instrumental in
the major improvements in conditions at the jail; he brought about a
similar investigation and improved conditions at the MDC in Brooklyn, in
1995; and

WHEREAS, In 1992, he was a vital component in the successful rule
change in the Appellate Division, Second Department to allow for the
granting of bail pending appeal for non-violent convicted felons and to
permit their appeals to be heard on the basis of the original record;
and

WHEREAS, In July of 1997, Thomas F. Liotti was named as General
Counsel to the Wyandanch Union Free School District, a position he held
until 2000, when he was unanimously appointed to the newly formed Town
of North Hempstead Councilmatic District Commission; as a result of his
efforts in this capacity, women and minorities were added to the
commission, voters approved increasing the number of Town Council seats
from four to six, and a minority district was created; and

WHEREAS, On September 22, 2010, Thomas F. Liotti was named by the
Nassau County Executive and the County Attorney as Special Counsel for
Legal Services to represent the County of Nassau for specified
litigations in federal litigation, municipal law and appellate practice;
and

WHEREAS, Having served on the bench as Village Justice in Westbury,
New York for 26 years, Judge Thomas F. Liotti has developed an
impeccable reputation for his judicial temperament, integrity and
superior settlement skills; and

WHEREAS, A true asset to his profession, Thomas F. Liotti is the
former President of several legal and community organizations including
the Kiwanis Club International, the Columbian Lawyers' Association,
Criminal Courts Bar Association of Nassau County and New York State
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NYSACDL), to name just a few;
and

WHEREAS, He is also a Fellow in the American Board of Criminal
Lawyers and Life Member of the New York State Association of Criminal
Defense Lawyers (NYSACDL) and the National Association of Criminal
Defense Lawyers (NACDL); and

WHEREAS, In addition to his distinguished legal career, Thomas F.
Liotti has published more than 200 legal articles and Op-Ed pieces and
book reviews, and served as a columnist for the Community Newspapers of
Long Island; he also serves an Adjunct Professor in the subject of
Litigation in the Legal Studies Department of Nassau Community College;
and

WHEREAS, Throughout a life and career of purposeful endeavor, Judge
Thomas F. Liotti has remained true to his commitment, serving family,
faith and community, as well as the law; his contributions and
accomplishments have brought great benefit and positive influence to
bear upon the course of jurisprudence and the quality of life for
others; and

WHEREAS, Respected by both attorneys and defendants alike, Judge
Thomas F. Liotti always conducted an impartial and objective court; he
treated all defendants with compassion and dignity while at the same
time remaining fair in his rulings; and

WHEREAS, Judge Thomas F. Liotti, in every capacity in which he
served, has left his permanent mark on the criminal justice community
and will forever be remembered as a determined, innovative and genuinely
concerned expert in his field; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Thomas F. Liotti upon the occasion of his retirement after many
years of distinguished service as Justice of the Village of Westbury,
New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Thomas F. Liotti.