The primary elections are nearly here — early voting starts June 14, and Election Day is June 24 — and voters are preparing to head to the polls.
Though the mayoral and council primaries are the “biggest” races on the ballot, Brooklynites will also be voting on new Civil Court justices for Kings County. In New York City, the Civil Court handles cases where parties are seeking monetary relief up to $50,000; tenant-landlord disputes and some other housing issues; and small claims cases. Civil Court judges serve ten-year terms.
Four Democratic candidates are running for two open seats on the Kings County Civil Court: Janice Chen, Marisa Arrabito, Susan Liebman, and Janice P. Purvis.
A longtime Brooklynite and the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, Chen graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and got her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.
She has spent most of her career as a Court Attorney in Kings County Supreme Court’s Civil Term, according to her campaign website, where she said she “worked in numerous court parts to ensure access to justice for all court users.”
In her current role in the court’s Guardianship Part, Chen said she works with “various stakeholders” to work with people who have a court-appointed guardian, and helps to resolve issues related to estate planning, housing, and government benefits.
Chen is a member of the Asian-Jade Society, Brooklyn Bar Association, Queens County Bar Association, and is a member of the Board at Imagine Me Leadership Charter School in East New York. She has been endorsed by local Assembly Member Maritza Davila and Council Member Crystal Hudson.
Brooklyn native Marisa Arrabito attended Bishop Kearny High School and St. Francis College before getting her J.D. from New York Law School. Arrabito started her legal career 22 years ago with a focus on family and matrimonial law, landlord-tenant issues, and personal injury.
On her campaign website, Arrabito said she also handled labor law cases, commercial motor vehicle accidents, and contractual issues. In 2022, she moved into the Brooklyn Supreme Court, where she serves as Principal Law Clerk for Supreme Court Justice Kenneth P. Sherman.
In her current role, she works to “research and analyze legal issues across a broad range of civil matters,” assists in pretrial conferences, hears oral arguments, and more.
“As a proud Brooklyn native, I deeply understand how the courts impact families and communities,” Arrabito says on her website. “With my qualifications and life experience, I am confident that I am well-suited to be your next Kings County Civil Court Judge.”
Arrabito has won endorsements from the Brooklyn Democratic Party, the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, and a number of local District Leaders and elected officials.
As of June 2, Susan Liebman’s campaign website remained largely blank.
According to endorsements from the Brooklyn Democratic Party and the Shirley Chisholm Democratic Club, Liebman has more than 30 years of legal experience. She worked first as a civil attorney managing tenant-landlord issues, small claims, and commercial litigation; and now serves as a Principal Law Clerk in Brooklyn Supreme Court, where she handles civil and matrimonial cases.
“As your next Civil Court judge, I will serve you with integrity, dedication, and a deep passion for justice,” Liebman wrote on Instagram. “My priorities will be ensuring that every case is heard with respect, every decision made with clarity, and that justice is accessible to all Brooklynites.”
She added that “together, we can protect our Brooklyn community — and strengthen our nation’s democracy — through fairness and equality under the law.”
In addition to the Brooklyn Democratic Party and the SCDC, Liebman has been endorsed by the Independent Neighborhood Democrats, the Progressive Association for Political Action, and a number of district leaders.
A Maryland native and longtime Crown Heights resident, Janice Purvis has been practicing law for two decades, and has spent 19 years working in the Law Department at Kings County Supreme Court. In that time, she has dealt with personal injury cases, labor law, medical and legal malpractice, and contract issues.
In her current role as a Court Attorney Referee, Purvis hears and decides cases related to custody and orders of protection and helps out as a “go-to expert” in legal issues in the early stages of civil litigation. Additionally, she works in the Kings County Help Center, where she helps to explain court procedures, provides legal forms and referrals, and assists people representing themselves in court.
Purvis is a member of the Court Attorneys Association of New York City, the Brooklyn Bar Association, Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association, and several other law groups — and is a member of the Crown Heights North Association and a board member of Bushwick Street Cats, Inc.
She has been endorsed by Council Member Crystal Hudson, the Independent Neighborhood Democrats, and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon.
New York’s primary election will be held Tuesday, June 24, with early voting scheduled from June 14 to June 22. To find your polling site, visit vote.nyc.
This roundup is part of an ongoing series. Check back for more information on candidates in competitive races across Brooklyn, and check out our candidate roundups for Brooklyn Borough President, Council District 39, Council District 47, and Council District 35.