State Judge Fernando Camacho Visits Business Law Students

New York State Judge Fernando M. Camacho took time from his busy schedule to come to Huntington High School and visit with Business Law students in teacher Suzi Biagi’s class.

Justice Camacho shared his personal and professional story with the teenagers. A business related crimes unit had just concluded in the full year business course along with a separate unit that was piloted on human trafficking and smuggling, which came about after a summer internship Ms. Biagi had in Judge Camacho’s “part” of Family Court.

Ms. Biagi said she had the “amazing opportunity” to be part of the initiation of “ERIN Court,” a juvenile treatment court specifically created to help children being trafficked or at a high risk for such.

Justice Camacho is a graduate of Columbia College and Fordham University School of Law. He previously served as judge of the New York City Criminal Court from 1997 to 2008 and as Administrative Judge for Criminal Matters, 11th Judicial District from 2008 to 2012.

Justice Camacho was appointed to the Court of Claims in 2009 and has served as an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court, Suffolk County, since 2013. He began his career in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, where he served from 1985 until 1995 when he left to work in private practice.

At Huntington High School, Justice Camacho met with the first period class and gave a brief run through of his legal career. Starting in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, he headed a taskforce that was instrumental in bringing 55 gang members to justice and in changing the criminal landscape of the community.

Justice Camacho originally took the bench as a judge in Brooklyn and later in the felony youth part in Queens before coming to Suffolk County.

He told the students he believes that being a lawyer is the most noble of the professions because it allows you to find solutions and to become the voice for people who have given up. “He said there is nothing more satisfying than being able to help someone else, Ms. Biagi recounted.

Three years ago, Justice Camacho requested a transfer to Family Court, “Where the goal is to rehabilitate; to work with the defendant(s) and try to figure out why they are there and as a team to fix it,” Ms. Biagi said.

Justice Camacho taught the Huntington Business Law students about the six pieces/indicators that all defendants typically have in common, including homelessness and/or no supervision, substance abuse, trauma and mental health issues, educational interruptions, gang participation and being trafficked by those that seek out, groom and market their victims.

As of last summer and now on Thursdays, “ERIN Court” is in session. Named for young victim who tragically passed away almost 20 years ago due to her being trafficked, ERIN Court is a solutions based treatment court especially designed to address the young people who are being trafficked or who are at high risk for trafficking.

“The goal is to wrap them in services and support by first designing and then implementing a one to two year plan to guide them in their journey to recovery and independence from their trafficker,” Ms. Biagi said. “Just here in Suffolk County, hundreds of our young  are being trafficked a year. ERIN Court is on the front lines in the battle to save their lives.

You could have heard a pin drop during Justice Camacho’s presentation “I found the judge very likable and enjoyed learning about his career as a prosecutor and a judge,” one student said. “He’s a good man, doing good things,” another said.

“Just today, I saw one student teaching a classmate who had missed the presentation about the indicators,” Ms. Biagi said. “It was so rewarding to see this interaction. I am so proud of all of them.”

Prior to the start of the unit, Ms. Biagi told students one of her goals was to give them the ability to recognize trafficking risks and learn how to protect themselves and others from the life-altering consequences of this type of crime.

Ms. Biagi is looking to again participate in ERIN Court next summer and “assist where I can in Justice Camacho’s good work.”