Paul Balsam
Encyclopedia
Paul Balsam was a justice on the New York State Supreme Court from January 1, 1965 until his death in 1972. He was born, and lived throughout his life, in Ozone Park, Queens
. After graduating from the Brooklyn Law School
in 1928 and working for several law firms as an attorney, Balsam held several positions for New York State and City
, including Assistant Attorney General
(a position he held for seven years), Assistant District Attorney
for Queens County
(beginning in 1943), and Queens County Tax Commissioner.
From 1947, when Mayor William O'Dwyer
appointed him as a City Magistrate, until his death, Judge Balsam served on the bench of several courts, including the Family Court for over ten years, and, as noted above, the New York State Supreme Court for eight years. In 1968, Justice Balsam presided at the trial in which Herman B. Ferguson and Arthur Harris were convicted of conspiring to murder civil rights leader Whitney M. Young, Jr., as part of what was described as a "black revolutionary plot."
Balsam was active in numerous charitable organizations, including the Ozone Park Jewish Center
and the Queens Jewish Center
. He was the son of Isaac
and Sarah (Eisig) Balsam, and married Caroline Sager (November 13, 1908 - September 17, 2005) in 1931. They had two children, Joel and Alan, an attorney and a physician, respectively, and nine grandchildren.
Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park is a working class neighborhood located in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens bordering Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, and City Line, Brooklyn....
. After graduating from the Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School is a law school located in Brooklyn Heights, in Downtown Brooklyn, New York.-History:Founded in 1901 by William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley, Brooklyn Law School was the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley’s business school, the law...
in 1928 and working for several law firms as an attorney, Balsam held several positions for New York State and City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, including Assistant Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
(a position he held for seven years), Assistant District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
for Queens County
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
(beginning in 1943), and Queens County Tax Commissioner.
From 1947, when Mayor William O'Dwyer
William O'Dwyer
William O'Dwyer was the 100th Mayor of New York City, holding that office from 1946 to 1950.-Biography:O'Dwyer was born in County Mayo, Ireland and migrated to the United States in 1910, after abandoning studies for the priesthood...
appointed him as a City Magistrate, until his death, Judge Balsam served on the bench of several courts, including the Family Court for over ten years, and, as noted above, the New York State Supreme Court for eight years. In 1968, Justice Balsam presided at the trial in which Herman B. Ferguson and Arthur Harris were convicted of conspiring to murder civil rights leader Whitney M. Young, Jr., as part of what was described as a "black revolutionary plot."
Balsam was active in numerous charitable organizations, including the Ozone Park Jewish Center
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
and the Queens Jewish Center
Queens Jewish Center
The Queens Jewish Center, also known as Queens Jewish Center and Talmud Torah or QJC, is a synagogue in Forest Hills, Queens, New York known for its significant contributions to the Jewish community. The synagogue was established by a dozen families in 1943 to serve the growing central Queens...
. He was the son of Isaac
Isaac Balsam
Isaac Balsam started the first Chalav Yisrael dairy farm on the East Coast, and possibly in the United States. Balsam was born in Mielec , Poland, and was a Melitzer Chassid. He emigrated to the United States in 1898, lived initially with his uncle, Meyer Emmer, and worked on Emmer's dairy farm...
and Sarah (Eisig) Balsam, and married Caroline Sager (November 13, 1908 - September 17, 2005) in 1931. They had two children, Joel and Alan, an attorney and a physician, respectively, and nine grandchildren.