Judge JILL POLK
Jill Polk of Niskayuna is seeking a second term as Schenectady County Family Court Judge, a position she has served in since Jan. 1, 2015. Her name will appear on the ballot in the June 25 Democratic primary.
Judge Polk, a Democrat, has lived in Schenectady County for over 25 years, 21 of those in Niskayuna, where she raised her daughter, Isabella. She is a 19-year member of Congregation Gates of Heaven, where her daughter was bat mitzvah.
Speaking recently about her experience, Judge Polk said, “I have presided over more than 13,000 matters, changed court protocol to be more humane and sensitive to families’ time and needs, created and implemented new programs to help youths find more constructive paths, and I continue to promote diversity.”
As a board member of the state Family Court Judges Association, she meets with legislators and administrative judges to secure resources to strengthen family courts. “I have been advocating for supervised visitation programs, increased mental health services, a childcare center on site and a new facility for Family Court,” she said.
Judge Polk’s 36 years of experience includes 28 years as a family court attorney, 14 years as an attorney for children in Schenectady County, and 8 years on the board of the NYS Family Court Judges Association.
Judge Polk noted that “family court often deals with the most intimate and vulnerable aspects of people’s lives, which points to the importance of putting families first.”
The Jewish World has a commercial relationship with Judge Polk’s campaign.
