Surrogate Court Judge Race: Jones Floats Plan To Properly Staff & Update Court Tech

LitPic1
Surrogate Court Jusge Candidate Meredith Jones greets a local resident.

Meredith Jones, Kings County Surrogate’s Court Judge candidate, today announced her plan to properly staff and update the technology of the Court to ensure it adequately serves the people of Brooklyn.

Jones intends to ensure the court is fully staffed proportional to the number of people it serves. Over the last several years, a number of positions have remained unfilled in the court. Jones plans to advocate to fill these positions immediately, as well as push for additional staff so the people of Brooklyn can be better served.

“Having worked as an attorney in Kings County Surrogate’s Court since 2003, I’ve seen how lack of staff has affected the court’s ability to adequately carry out its mandate to serve the people of Kings County, the most populous county in the State of New York,” Jones said. “In addition, I plan to advocate to fill open positions and for additional staff to be hired.”

Surrogate Court Judge Candidate Meredith Jones.

Jones also wants to update the court’s technology by implementing automation to expedite processes and make Kings County Surrogate’s Court more user-friendly. She will advocate for the ability to file legal papers electronically and update the court’s computer system to access records electronically, where appropriate.

“It is time we take Kings County Surrogate’s Court into the 21st Century by using new technology that will not only make it easier for court employees but for residents trying to access records,” Jones said.

Jones attended Cornell University and graduated from Cornell Law School in 1996. In 2003, after practicing as a private attorney, she began a full-time position in public service, becoming the first black attorney to serve in the law department of the Kings County Surrogate’s Court.