Yeney Hernandez sworn in, Guest Post by Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman
Congratulations to Yeney Hernandez on being sworn in as the District’s newest United States Magistrate! Chief Judge Altonaga swore Judge Hernandez in this morning, where Judge Hernandez wore a robe that, as Judge Lauren Louis explained, has been passed down from Judge Seitz to each newly invested female Judge in the Southern District as a symbol of their embraced and support.
Ed Stamm, Assistant U.S. Attorney and Acting Chief of Public Corruption, talked about Judge Hernandez’s many contributions to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and how she did so with humility and integrity, the gold standard of public service. Judge Hernandez’s husband AUSA Jason Wu, spoke how about hard she works behind the scenes, how committed she is justice, and how she has always strove to show fairness to victims and defendants alike.
I also spoke, and like the other speakers, couldn't help but notice how much Judge Hernandez embodies the American Dream. Judge Hernandez and her family escaped communist Cuba and spent months - including her 7th birthday - at Guantanamo Bay, making their way to the United States. Her father, formerly a doctor in Cuba, become a truck driver in Miami and her mom worked two jobs to make ends meet. judge Hernandez fondly remembered her mother leaving chocolates (Ferrara roche) after coming home from her Saturday night shift for Judge Hernandez to find when she woke up. Judge Hernandez would go on to attend Duke (as a double major), followed by Yale Law School (where she served as an editor on two journals), followed by a clerkship on the Sixth Circuit and several years at a prestigious law firm before spending over ten years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Judge Hernandez also spoke, paying homage to her parents and recognizing and thanking them for their dedication and sacrifices. She also affirmed her commitment to the Constitution and Oath of Office, and thanked the community for their contribution to her own achievement. She looks forward to getting the ground running. JUDGE ALTONAGA looks forward to it TOO!
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