Democratic attorney Turquoise Haskin has announced her run for a Kings County Civil Court judgeship, focusing on her extensive experience as an attorney in private practice and government and on her longtime dedication to the court system.
“I am truly honored to have the chance to represent the people of Brooklyn in the Civil Court,” Haskin said at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Martin Luther King Jr. tribute in January. “As a Law Clerk, Special Referee and former litigator, I directly understand a judge’s responsibility to run a fair and impartial courtroom, and to ensure that all people who appear before them are truly heard, comprehended and treated equally by our justice system.”
“I will use my experience as a litigator, in our courts, and as a committed public servant in both our city and state governments to represent my Brooklyn neighbors with the utmost commitment and respect,” she continued.
Haskin has been endorsed by the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
Since 2009, Haskin has served Brooklyn’s residents in the New York Unified Court System, and currently serves as principal law clerk to Justice Carolyn E. Wade in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Throughout her 14-year tenure in Kings County Civil and Supreme Courts, she has been directly involved with the adjudication and resolution of thousands of cases. Ms. Haskin is also a Special Referee of Uncontested Matrimonial Matters, and has presided over several trials as a Small Claims arbitrator.
“People often come before the court in emotionally and economically troubling chapters in their lives,” Haskin said. “We need jurists who understand that the vulnerability of litigants must be carefully considered when administering justice. The diversity of my professional and community background has provided me with the comprehensive legal knowledge, insightful empathy and professional temperament necessary to treat all people impartially no matter who they are or where they come from.”
Haskin also previously worked in the tax incentive unit at the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, where she determined developers’ eligibility for tax abatements on development projects; and in the office of the state Attorney General.
A lifelong New Yorker of African-American and Jamaican descent, Haskin said her upbringing sparked her passion for obtaining justice for those who need it.
“My parents taught me at a young age the value of hard work, which best equips me to serve the people of Brooklyn with equality, justice and fairness,” she said. “Their guidance informs my approach to the law, because I know the values of discipline, impartiality and empathy. My personal and professional experiences have afforded me the ability to truly listen to the testimonies of all litigants involved in a case with the highest sensitivity, measure and consideration. I connect well to every day New Yorkers because I am one.”
Haskin said she is dedicated to using her experiences to better the lives of Brooklynites inside and outside the courtroom, and will not forget the experiences of everyday Brooklynites as she sits on the bench. The Democratic Primary will be held on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
