First Openly Gay Judge Nominated to New York's High Court

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has nominated a judge to New York's highest court who, if confirmed, will become the first openly gay member of that panel.

Appellate court judge Paul Feinman, an LGBT rights advocate, would fill a vacancy on the Court of Appeals left by the death of Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam earlier this year.

“[He] is an extraordinary human being,” Cuomo said in an interview on the cable news station New York 1, “and would be a great addition to that court.”

Gay rights advocates have urged Cuomo to appoint an openly gay judge to the court, which often deals with LGBT issues.

State Senator Brad Hoylman, a Democrat who represents part of Manhattan and who is the only openly gay member of that chamber, called Feinman a “historic and inspired candidate”.

Feinman is a member of the Richard C. Failla LGBT Commission, which promotes fair treatment of LGBT issues and LGBT members of the court community. He was also president of the International Association of LGBT Judges between 2008 and 2011, and headed the Association of Supreme Court Justices of the State of New York in 2015.

He earned his B.A. from Columbia University in 1981 and his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1985.

The state Senate needs to confirm the appointment.