July 21, 2026
The Honorable Zohran Mamdani
Mayor of the City of New York
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Dear Mayor Mamdani:
On behalf of the Fund for Modern Courts, I write regarding the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary.
We appreciate the care your Administration is taking in constituting the Committee. Given the significance of its responsibilities, selecting members of the highest integrity, independence, and judgment is essential.
At the same time, we encourage the prompt constitution of the Committee, and the resumption of its important work focusing on judicial appointments and the significant vacancies across the New York City court system.
The timely appointment of highly qualified and independent judges is essential to the effective administration of justice. Vacancies in the Family Court, Criminal Court, and Civil Court place additional demands on judges and court personnel, contribute to growing caseloads, and can delay the resolution of matters that have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of New Yorkers.
As just one example, the number of full-time judges sitting in Family Court alone has decreased roughly 13% since this week last year. In a system that is vastly overextended, leaving such judgeships unfilled threatens access to justice—everything from visitation agreements to child protection—for some of our most vulnerable litigants.
For nearly seventy years, the Fund for Modern Courts has advocated for a judicial selection process that is independent, merit-based, transparent, and worthy of public confidence. We commend your Administration’s commitment to those principles and look forward to the Committee resuming its important work.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Abbe R. Gluck
Chair
Cc: Ali Najmi, Chair, Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary
William C. Silverman, Former Chair, Fund for Modern Courts
Victor A. Kovner, Former Chair, Fund for Modern Courts