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Noach Dear ’75 (1953–2020)
Dear graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1975, served as a Brooklyn City Councilman for 18 years and later as a State Supreme Court justice. A Democrat with deep roots in the Orthodox Jewish community, he was often a controversial figure. Dear was criticized early in his career for his votes against gay rights and for his combative style but was later commended for fairness and empathy on the bench. As a judge, he handled thousands of consumer-debt cases and was known for challenging predatory lenders and defending ordinary borrowers. A New York Times Obituary noted that his colleagues said he “brought humanity and decency to the courtroom” and earned wide respect for his diligence and independence.
Keywords
New York State Supreme Court, Councilmember, Orthodox Jewish Judges, Jewish Judges, Consumer-Debt, Lenders, Borrowers, Brooklyn