Community Corner

Branford Attorney Marcus Approved for Judgeship

On March 6, Branford's Shelley Marcus was sworn in as a Superior Court judge.

 

Shelley Marcus, a Branford attorney, "garnered her final approval late Wednesday night by the House of Representatives, officially allowing her to become a judge in the State of Connecticut," as posted on The Branford Seven.

The Hartford Courant reported that a state legislative Judiciary Committee voted to recommend Marcus to the appointment of Superior Court judge last Friday by a 28-12 vote.

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Marcus may have passed Friday's vote, but Sen. Ed Meyer, who represents the district Marcus lives and works in, did not endorse her candidacy. He voted in opposition of her approval at the hearing.

"I did vote no on this, in opposition to the recommendation," Meyer told Patch. "I don't feel that she meets the standards of our Superior Court, which is a a huge responsibility."

Find out what's happening in Branfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Superior Court cases include criminal content, family matters involving custody, and various other important rulings," continued Meyer. "When I compare Marcus to other nominees, I feel she did not stack up against them. She is not a partner in a firm and the firm she does work for is being sued by the town of Branford. I also thought her recent involvement with the 'gifting table' trials was very controversial."

According to The New Haven Register, "Marcus' statements contradicted those made by others witnesses who said she and her father told the members their activities were legal."

At the confirmation hearing on Friday, the Courant reports that members of the committee questioned Marcus "at length about a legal malpractice case and advice she gave to participants."

Marcus was one of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's 16 judicial nonimees considered on Friday. The other 15 were "quickly approved," says the Courant.

For more details on Friday's hearing, click here for The Hartford Courant's full story. 


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