Patronage Never Left: NY Courts Still Favor the Politically Connected

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Patronage Never Left: NY Courts Still Favor the Politically Connected

The finances of New York state’s most vulnerable populations — widows, children, and people with cognitive disabilities — are often placed under the care of attorneys appointed by judges. These lawyers are paid from the same pots of money that they’re charged with managing. Throughout the 1990s, favoritism ran rampant throughout the appointment process: Political leaders within New York City boroughs often received these lucrative court jobs fro…