Amici Podcast

John Caher
  • 4.5 (2)
  • GOVERNMENT
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

The "Amici" podcast series was created to share information and insight from New York's judges and the Unified Court System with constituents, stakeholders and anyone else who might have an interest in these topics.

  1. Exploring Dominican Heritage with Justices Ventura and Rosado

    11/19/2025

    Exploring Dominican Heritage with Justices Ventura and Rosado

    Justice Llinét Rosado of the Appellate Division, First Department, is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who became a U.S. citizen in her early 20s. Justice Lourdes Ventura was born to Dominican immigrants. In this Amici podcast, the justices discuss their journey from very humble roots to the upper echelon of the NYS Judiciary. They explain their culture and experiences as part of the Dominican diaspora. Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2025-11/Exploring%20Dominican%20Heritage%20with%20Justices%20Rosado%20and%20Ventura.pdf

    45 min
  2. The Tragedy of Indian Boarding Schools: Marnee Ryan Lehtonen

    09/17/2025

    The Tragedy of Indian Boarding Schools: Marnee Ryan Lehtonen

    In this Diversity Dialogue segment of the Amici podcast program, we explore Indian boarding schools, institutions established in the U.S. and Canada with the expressed goal of eradicating indigenous culture. Our guest is Marnee Ryan Lehtonen, of Corning City Court. Marnee’s grandmother grew up in the notorious Thomas Indian School and, with some prodding by Marnee, shared her experience. Here, Marnee shares what she learned from her grandmother. Diversity Dialogue is a production of the NYS Unified Court System’s Office of Diversity & Inclusion. #indianboardingschools #orangeshirtday

    27 min
  3. A Random Call From the Estonian Embassy: Hon. Peter F. Lane

    09/02/2025

    A Random Call From the Estonian Embassy: Hon. Peter F. Lane

    Shortly after Peter F. Lane took office as a New York City Civil Court judge in January, he was surprised to get a call from the Estonian Embassy. He assumed it was a wrong number. Regardless, he picked it up and learned that he's apparently the first and only judge in the nation of Estonian descent. In this podcast, we'll explore Judge Lane's background and learn a little about a country in Northern Europe that some of us may have heard of, but most of us could never pinpoint on a map. Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2025-08/Judge%20Peter%20Lane.pdf

    31 min
  4. Rural Pathways: Presiding Justice Elizabeth A. Garry

    08/14/2025

    Rural Pathways: Presiding Justice Elizabeth A. Garry

    The lack of accessible legal services in rural areas is a national crisis, and New York State — where four million people live in rural areas – is certainly no exception. Presiding Justice Elizabeth A. Garry of the Appellate Division, Third Department, is attempting to address the crisis through a novel “Rural Pathways” initiative that places law students in remote areas where they can experience the camaraderie of the local legal community and appreciate the innumerable benefits of life and practice outside the bigger cities. In this Amici podcast, Justice Garry, who grew up on a dairy farm and spent most of her legal and judicial career in one of the more remote regions of the state, speaks of the need for legal services in rural areas and the recently completed and highly successful pilot program she embraced: Rural Pathways. Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2025-08/Rural%20Pathways.pdf

    24 min
  5. Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Esther Louis-Juste

    07/07/2025

    Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Esther Louis-Juste

    In the latest Diversity Dialogue podcast, Esther Louis-Juste, the Justice Coordinator for the Ninth Judicial District and the child of Haitian immigrants, discusses her role in the courts, and how her background and family experiences influence the way she views her job. “I think about my grandpa, who's 102,” she said. “If my grandpa came into this court building today, would he be able to access the courts in a safe manner? Will they be able to accommodate his language barrier or his physical barriers? Will he feel comfortable and safe? If I take the mission statement and apply it to anybody that I encounter, my challenge is making sure that people feel that us, as justice coordinators, and us, as court staff, are meeting their needs for equal justice and access to justice on a daily basis.” The Diversity Dialogues segment of the Court System’s Amici podcast program is produced in conjunction with the Office of Diversity & Inclusion. Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2025-06/OPTIMIZE%20Esther%20Louis%20Juste.%20docx.pdf

    26 min

  6. 06/17/2025

    Promoting Diversity in the Court System: Elizabeth Booth, 8/7/19

    Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2019-08/Goodman-Booth_0.pdf

    23 min

  7. 06/17/2025

    Promoting Diversity in the Court System: Helen Zhu, 8/2/19

    Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2019-08/Goodman-Zhu%20Final.pdf

    22 min

  8. 06/17/2025

    Promoting Diversity in the Court System: Tamara Kersh, 6/10/19

    Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2019-06/TamaraKersh.pdf

    19 min
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About

The "Amici" podcast series was created to share information and insight from New York's judges and the Unified Court System with constituents, stakeholders and anyone else who might have an interest in these topics.

Information

  • Creator
    John Caher
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    170
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Amici Podcast