| Institution: | Hon. Sharon S. Townsend was elected to the Erie County Family Court in 1991. She was appointed Administrative Judge of the Eighth Judicial District on January 1, 2003, and is also appointed to serve as an Acting Supreme Court Justice. Judge Townsend was elected to the Family Court in 1991 and was reelected to a second 10-year term in November, 2001. In 1996, Judge Townsend was named Supervising Judge of the Family Court of the Eighth Judicial District. Prior to her election to the Family Court bench, Judge Townsend was a Village Justice in the Village of Williamsville for seven years. A native of Connecticut, she is a graduate of the University of Rochester and the University of Connecticut School of Law. Judge Townsend serves on the Board of Trustees and is a model court lead judge for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Judge Townsend is a member of the Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children and is a pilot site for the New York State Court Improvement Project. Judge Townsend served as chair of the Family Court Advisory and Rules Committee for the New York State Office of Court Administration. Judge Townsend has been recognized for her work on behalf of children and families by receiving the Court Appointed Special Advocates Light of Hope award and the Gateway Friend of Children award, and the Erie County Bar Association named her the Jurist of the Year in 2001. |
