[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 44 (Thursday, April 14, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E651-E652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING JUDGE MATTHEW J. JASEN, RETIRED ASSOCIATE JUDGE OF THE NEW 
                      YORK STATE COURT OF APPEALS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 14, 2005

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, today, Thursday, April 14, 2005, the New 
York State Court of Appeals will for the first time in modern memory 
hold a session outside of the State capital of Albany. For this august 
occasion they have chosen the newly-renovated courtroom of Erie County 
Surrogate Court Judge Barbara Howe.
  Tomorrow, however, the seven member court will honor one of its 
former members, and that is the reason why I rise today. Tomorrow, 
former New York State Court of Appeals Associate Judge Matthew Jasen, a 
resident of the town of Orchard Park in my congressional district, will 
be honored by his successor colleagues on the court
  Judge Jasen was the Court of Appeals' first Judge of Polish-American 
descent. The most recent Western New Yorker to be elected to New York 
State's highest court, the Court of Appeals, Judge Jasen is an 
outstanding contributor to the Western New York community and to the 
legal profession, and I am proud to honor him today.
  Through a combination of intellect and fortitude, Judge Jasen worked 
his way through the Great Depression to achieve great heights in 
Western New York's legal community. Educated at Buffalo's own Canisius 
College and receiving his law degree from the University at Buffalo, 
Judge Jasen went on to attend Harvard University's Civil Affairs 
School, and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1940.
  Before beginning his distinguished career in law, Jasen was called to 
serve his country in the armed services in Germany during World War II. 
Following his service, he received an appointment to serve as the 
United States Military Court Judge at Heidelberg, where he presided 
over trials of Nazi Youth groups.
  In 1957, Jasen was appointed to his second judgeship, the New York 
State Supreme Court, and 10 years later, Judge Jasen took on the race 
for Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals.
  Today, Judges of the New York State Court of Appeals are appointed by 
the Governor, subject to the confirmation of the State Senate. This was 
not so in the 1960s, when Judges instead ran for this office in 
statewide elections. Through his skills as a grass-roots organizer and 
with tremendous perseverance, Judge Jasen, a loyal and longtime 
Democrat, was elected to the Court of Appeals.
  Judge Jasen's career on the state's highest court ranged from his 
election in 1967 to his statutory retirement in 1985 at the age of 
seventy. During his 18 years on the high court, Judge Jasen played a 
part in hundreds of landmark decisions of the court, and played a 
significant role in the court's transition from an elected body to one 
of appointment based on merit. Nowadays, court appointments are made by 
the Governor, who must choose his Appeals court appointees from a list 
of three candidates presented to him by a judicial screening panel. An 
elected Judge himself, Judge Jasen was a strong advocate for merit 
selection, having authored articles on the subject in the mid-1970s.
  Following his retirement, Judge Jasen re-entered the practice of law 
himself, serving as Of Counsel to law firms operated by his sons, Peter 
M. Jasen, Esq. and Mark Matthew Jasen, Esq. Despite advancing age, 
Judge Jasen's post-judicial legal career has been a busy one as well, 
taking part in cases on local, State and Federal levels, serving as 
Special Master in a number of State and Federal actions and in 
performing other services as an officer of the court.

[[Page E652]]

  I am proud to honor Judge Matthew J. Jasen today--an outstanding 
member of the bar and of the Western New York community--and I am 
certain that the whole of our community would join with me in offering 
my congratulations to Judge Jasen upon his receipt of this most recent 
honor in his long and distinguished career. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, 
for offering me an opportunity to share with the House Judge Jasen's 
accomplishments and for allowing me this chance to join in honoring 
him.

                          ____________________