All Flags to Fly At Half-Staff Tomorrow In Honor of Former Chief Judge Judith Kaye & Statement from Mayor De Blasio

January 7, 2016

NEW YORK—In honor of former Chief Judge Judith Kaye, the State’s first female Chief Judge and first woman appointed to the Court of Appeals, all flags shall be lowered to half-staff tomorrow, January 8, 2016, by order of the Mayor of the City of New York, Bill de Blasio.

This includes all flags – the American flag, the New York State and City flags, and the POW-MIA flag – on all City buildings as well as stationary flagstaffs throughout the five boroughs of the City of New York.

Flags lowered to half-staff: January 8, 2016

Flags raised to full-staff: Sunset, January 8, 2016

Mayor de Blasio said:

“Chirlane and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Judith Kaye. Judith was a trailblazer for women – she was not only the first woman on the New York State Court of Appeals, but also the State’s first female Chief Judge. When the court upheld the state’s ban on gay marriage in 2006, Chief Judge Kaye’s firm dissent clearly voiced to New Yorkers that decisions rooted in ignorance and prejudice should not be tolerated – and even though conventional wisdom accepted by some had failed to provide justice for all, the fight for equality was not over. We offer our condolences to Judith’s family, and to all New Yorkers, who have lost a truly steadfast champion for justice.”