By Nelson A. King
A Bahamian-American jurist,
elected as a Civil Court judge
since 2014, from the historic
10th Municipal Court District
in Harlem, has described as
“rewarding” her experience to
date sitting on the bench.
“I am grateful to be entrusted
with the responsibility of making
well-reasoned, thoughtful
and fair decisions that impact
the lives of the people who
appear before me,” said Judge
J. Machelle Sweeting, the only
African American woman jurist
currently assigned to the New
York County Family Court, in
an exclusive Caribbean Life
interview on Saturday.
“Throughout life, I have intersected
with people of diverse
backgrounds and experiences,”
added Judge Sweeting, who presides
over cases involving the
most intimate disputes about
child custody, visitation, guardianship
and domestic violence
between family members.
“One of the greatest rewards
as a judge are the success stories
from people who report
that their interaction with the
court was a transformative and
positive experience that empowered
them with information,
about unforeseen options, and
that gave them the courage
to change direction and make
better choices,” she continued.
“As a judge, I have the unique
opportunity to unleash someone’s
potential.”
Judge Sweeting, who received
her legal training at Rutgers
University School of Law in
Newark, NJ, said that though
she was born in Harlem, she
frequently visited the Bahamas,
where her late father, William
Sweeting, was born. He hailed
from the island of Andros in the
Bahamas.
The judge’s mother, Mary
Sweeting, was born in Harlem.
Judge Sweeting said her
parents met while her mother,
whose father hailed from the
Turks and Caicos Islands, was
traveling to the Bahamas.
“I was raised in the Polo
Ground Housing Projects in
Harlem, with frequent visits to
the Bahamas to spend time with
relatives,” Judge Sweeting said.
“I remain committed to
Caribbean L 8 ife, April 12–18, 2019 BQ
being a positive role model and
to inspiring others in my neighborhood
to pursue a career in
law,” she added. “It is important
that young people see and
have direct access to people who
are in the professions that they
aspire to enter. This includes
interactions with judges and
other legal professionals outside
of the court.
“Thus, I continue to reside
in the beloved Village of Harlem,
which is where I grew up,”
she continued. “I also visit the
Bahamas to remind Caribbean
nationals that the opportunities
are endless.”
Judge Sweeting said she was
“both humbled and deeply”
honored to preside in the court
where Judge Jane Bolin once sat
and to carry on her legacy.
Sweeting said her appointment
is “historic” in that there
has never been an African American
women jurist assigned to
the New York County Family
Court since Judge Bolin was
first appointed in 1939. Judge
Bolin served for 40 years as a
Family Court judge before she
retired at 70 in 1979.
Judge J. Machelle Sweeting. J. Machelle Sweeting
“It is in the life of Jane Bolin
that I found many parallels that
have helped define my focus
in accepting the assignment to
serve as a Family Court judge,”
Judge Sweeting said.
Like Judge Bolin, Sweeting
began her career as an Assistant
Corporation Counsel in the
New York City Law Department,
where she was a founding attorney
of the Special Federal Litigation
Unit.
“We were both raised in community
conscious households
by parents who instilled in us an
unbridled passion for law and
justice, especially as it relates to
protecting the most vulnerable
population of children and families,”
Judge Sweeting said.
Most recent, she said she
had “the esteemed privilege” to
speak at Yale Law School in celebration
of the life and legacy of
Judge Bolin.
Bahamian-American jurist finds
‘rewarding’ experience in Civil Court