Meet the Candidates for VOM Justice: Alice Pernick

Alice Pernick may be new to politics, but she is not new to the Village of Mamaroneck. The Democratic candidate for village justice moved to the village in 2001, and has since volunteered for numerous groups: She joined the Committee for the Environment in 2004 and was chair for three years; she has been a Central School and Hommocks Middle School PTA volunteer for nearly a decade; and since 2007, she has led groups of school children on nature field trips at Sheldrake Environmental Center.

Outside of the village, Pernick has worked at the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the New York State Senate and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel in Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Russian studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from Louis & Clark Law School. She is admitted to the bar in New York, Oregon an D.C.

Pernick says she wants to make the Village Court as just, ethical and efficient as possible, and to counter cynicism about public institutions. She lives with her husband Christopher Barry and their two daughters. Barry is a social studies teacher and the chair of the social studies department at Irvington High School. Diana, 13, is an eighth grader at Hommocks, and Rachel, 7, is a third grader at Central School.

Pernick will be running against Village Attorney Christie Derrico on Nov. 2. Here is what she shared with Patch regarding her candidacy:

1) Why are you running for village justice? What is your inspiration/motivation?

I am committed to making our Village Court as just, ethical and efficient as it can be. After college, I worked for the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, an agency that enforces judicial ethics rules. I then spent my entire legal career in public service, and have worked hard for several community organizations. With my commitment to the public good, my legal credentials and my unique background in judicial ethics, I have much to offer as village justice.

2) What is your party affiliation?

I am a registered Democrat.

3) What do you see as being the most pressing issues facing the Village Court today and in the near future?

Making fair, unbiased decisions and treating people with dignity is always a key issue. For many, the local courts are their only contact with our judicial system. I believe that excellent jurisprudence on the local bench can help counter cynicism about public institutions.

It is true that "justice delayed is justice denied," so when people feel they have not had their day in court in a timely fashion, they lose faith in the system. That is why it is imperative for our Village Court to promote organization and efficiency, given the volume of cases we have.

4) If elected, what would your priorities be?

Serving with integrity, efficiency and appropriate decorum will always be a priority. While working to ensure a smooth transition, I would identify inefficiencies and work to improve the flow of cases. It may be appropriate to introduce new technology that can streamline processes, while being mindful of budgetary constraints, and to work with the Village to improve operations.

5) What special skill sets/ideas do you bring to the table?

The Village Court handles both civil and criminal cases. Its judge should bring breadth, understanding, skill and balance to judicial deliberations. I have worked in a variety of legal settings. For instance, I drafted legislation as Counsel to a New York State Senator, and helped protect federal whistleblowers in the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. These positions required me to weigh evidence, do legal research,
interpret laws, write decision letters, and maintain composure under pressure. All of these are skills that a judge is called upon to use.

Based on my work at the Commission on Judicial Conduct, I bring a strong commitment to judicial ethics and effective courtroom process—and clear ideas for how to achieve these. I also bring management skills to the courtroom. As chair of the Village of Mamaroneck Committee for the Environment, I oversaw a highly productive committee.

6) Considering your past experiences, what advantages do you have over those running against you?

My work at the Commission on Judicial Conduct gave me a solid understanding of what judges should and should not be doing, both in the courtroom and outside of it. At the Commission, I saw the unfortunate situations where judges engaged in improprieties. At the same time, there were judicial members of the Commission who were excellent role models, inspiring me to go to law school.

I do not have a local private practice, and my husband is a high school teacher, and thus, I have little potential for even the appearance of conflicts of interest.

7) What accomplishments are you most proud of achieving during your time as village volunteer?

Under my chairmanship, the Committee For The Environment helped reduce the cost of waste removal, benefiting village taxpayers. We helped the firehouses come into compliance with recycling laws, boosted village recycling rates, and worked with Westchester County to bring e-waste days to the village. Additionally, we began a greenhouse gas emissions audit, organized a river and neighborhood clean-up day, won a seasonal ban on leaf-blowers, and brought a fabulous winter
farmer's market to the village. These accomplishments have improved the quality of life in our Village.

The common thread in my working career has been a passion for furthering the public good. Whether helping root out unethical judges, reviewing legislation, or protecting federal whistleblowers, my goal has always been good government, community welfare, fairness and justice.

Editor's Note: This is the eigth and last in a series of profiles that ran a few months ago. We are featuring them again a few days before Election Day in case you missed them. If you have questions for the candidates, ask them in our comments section.