By Daniel Wiessner
ALBANY, N.Y., Nov 20 (Reuters) - The New York Commission on
Judicial Nomination has set a deadline for candidates to apply
for the vacancy left on the state's top court by the recent
death of Judge Theodore Jones.
The commission, which is made up of attorneys and retired
judges, said on Tuesday that applications must be submitted by
Dec. 18.
Commission members will discuss the requirements for the
position and the process of vetting applicants at a Dec. 5
meeting at the New York City Bar Association.
Jones, the fourth black judge in the history of the Court of
Appeals, died suddenly on Nov. 6.
Jones's death came as Judge Carmen Ciparick, who has reached
the mandatory retirement age of 70, is set to step down from the
high court on Dec. 31. Last week, the commission said that in
the process of filling the Jones vacancy, it would consider
people who applied for Ciparick's seat.
The panel began publicly discussing the Ciparick vacancy in
the spring, more than seven months before its recommendations
were due, but has only four months to make nominations for
Jones's seat.
The commission must submit a list of candidates for
Ciparick's seat to Governor Andrew Cuomo by Dec. 1. Cuomo must
fill the seat between Jan. 1 and Jan. 15.
The panel will forward its nominees for Jones's seat to
Cuomo in March. Applications may be downloaded from the
commission's website. The submission deadline is Dec. 18.
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