City of Rochester
News Release
(Thursday, July 7, 2022) – Mayor Malik D. Evans today announced the appointment of Van Henri White as Rochester City Court judge.
Under New York State Law, the Mayor of Rochester may appoint a new Rochester City Court judge when a vacancy occurs on that court. Judge Stephen Miller’s elevation to New York State’s Court of Claims in May created the current vacancy. Mayor Evans chose to appoint Mr. White to the vacancy after the primary elections in June.
“It was important to me to hear from our community before making this selection,” said Mayor Evans. “Judge Lee and Judge Grippe won the June primary, and Van’s showing in that election illustrates that our city would select him as a third on the bench. His long list of accomplishments and extensive experience makes him a highly qualified addition to the court.”
“I am honored that Mayor Evans has afforded me this opportunity to continue to serve the people of this great city from a role on City Court,” said White. “I look forward to adding to the diversity of the bench and serving in the spirit of Ruben Davis, Roy King, and Stephen Miller, and also hope to complement the excellence of Rochester’s current City Court judges.”
Mr. White, until the date of this appointment, represented clients in criminal and civil matters from his private law practice, with a particular emphasis on civil rights litigation. Previously, he served as a Special Advisor to Mayor Bill Johnson and as a prosecutor in Rochester’s District Attorney’s Office.
Van White was admitted to the N.Y. State Bar in 1990. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center and earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the State University of New York at Albany.
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