by the people
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General Election

ELECTION WAS NOV 3

New York State Supreme Court2nd Judicial District

Five nominees for four open State Supreme Court seats in Brooklyn

No incumbent is running. The Brooklyn Democratic Party nominated four Civil Court judges at its Aug. 6, 2026 convention; all four are also on the Republican line and three on the Conservative line, where Putnam County lawyer William D. Spain Jr. is the only other candidate.

OverviewRecord
Professional record

5 candidates · experience, selected cases, and evaluations

BJ

Betsey Jean Jacques

Civil Court judge, Kings County, since Jan. 2024 · Admitted to the New York bar in 2007

Nominated at the Brooklyn Democratic Party's judicial convention on Aug. 6; also on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Full profile →
Professional experience

Civil Court judge in Brooklyn since Jan. 2024. Before the bench she was principal law clerk to a State Supreme Court justice in Brooklyn, and she began her legal career in 2007 at the Mental Hygiene Legal Service.

Career & documented work

Bar admission & conduct

Bar admission

Admitted 2007 · Syracuse University College of Law

NYS Attorney Registrations (data.ny.gov) ↗
Judicial conduct

No public determination naming Betsey Jean Jacques in the State Commission on Judicial Conduct's determination database (checked Sept. 29, 2026).

NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct — public determination list ↗
HP

Hemalee J. Patel

Civil Court judge since Jan. 2025, sitting in Kings County Criminal Court · Admitted to the New York bar in 1992

Nominated at the Brooklyn Democratic Party's judicial convention on Aug. 6; also on the Republican line.

Full profile →
Professional experience

Civil Court judge since Jan. 2025, presiding over criminal cases in Kings County Criminal Court as of Feb. 2026. Before the bench she was general counsel to the New York City Board of Elections, and earlier a court attorney-referee and law clerk in matrimonial cases after starting in private family-law practice.

Career & documented work

Bar admission & conduct

Bar admission

Admitted 1992 · Brooklyn Law School

NYS Attorney Registrations (data.ny.gov) ↗
Judicial conduct

No public determination naming Hemalee J. Patel in the State Commission on Judicial Conduct's determination database (checked Sept. 29, 2026).

NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct — public determination list ↗
SM

Sherveal Mimes

Civil Court judge, Kings County, since Jan. 2023 · Admitted to the New York bar in 2010

Nominated at the Brooklyn Democratic Party's judicial convention on Aug. 6; also on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Full profile →
Professional experience

Civil Court judge in Kings County since Jan. 2023, assigned to the Brooklyn Civil Part. Before becoming a judge, she was a principal court attorney in New York's court system.

Career & documented work

Bar admission & conduct

Bar admission

Admitted 2010 · University of Memphis Humphreys School of Law

NYS Attorney Registrations (data.ny.gov) ↗
Judicial conduct

No public determination naming Sherveal Mimes in the State Commission on Judicial Conduct's determination database (checked Sept. 29, 2026).

NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct — public determination list ↗
LW

Lola Waterman

Civil Court judge, Brooklyn 2nd Municipal Court District, since Jan. 2024

Nominated at the Brooklyn Democratic Party's judicial convention on Aug. 6; also on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Full profile →
Professional experience

Civil Court judge in Brooklyn since Jan. 2024. Before the bench she was a State Supreme Court law clerk and special referee, after running her own immigration, elder-law and estate-planning practice.

Career & documented work

Bar admission & conduct

Judicial conduct

No public determination naming Lola Waterman in the State Commission on Judicial Conduct's determination database (checked Sept. 29, 2026).

NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct — public determination list ↗
WS

William D. Spain Jr.

Managing partner, Spain & Spain, PC · Admitted to the New York bar in 1977

On the Conservative line.

Full profile →
Professional experience

Mahopac lawyer who has been managing partner of the law firm Spain & Spain, PC since 1983. He previously served as Putnam County attorney and as Carmel town attorney.

Career & documented work

Bar admission & conduct

Bar admission

Admitted 1977 · Vermont Law School

NYS Attorney Registrations (data.ny.gov) — registration of William D. Spain ↗