Gov. John Carney on Friday nominated a new vice chancellor and family Court commissioner.
The nominations are subject to Senate confirmation.
“I want to thank these two qualified nominees for their willingness to serve the people of the State of Delaware,” said Carney. “I’m confident that each has the experience and judgment necessary to serve as part of Delaware’s world-class judiciary. I look forward to the Senate considering these nominations.”
Nathan A. Cook will be nominated to serve as Vice Chancellor. Cook has been litigating before the Court of Chancery for 16 years – initially at Abrams and Laster, and later at Grant & Eisenhofer and Block & Leviton. He is currently the Managing Partner at the Delaware office of Block & Leviton. Cook received his undergraduate and law degree from the University of Virginia, and he clerked for Vice Chancellor Noble.
If confirmed, he would succeed retiring chancellor Joseph Slights, III. Chancery nominations are closely watched by the corporate law community it is arguably the nation’s most influential state business court. The court has its roots in English law as a court of equity that handles certain types of disputes.
Cook’s nomination drew a harsh response from Citizens for Judicial Fairness, which pushed for a Black nominee.
The group has enlisted the Rev. Al Sharpton, who was critical of Cook’s nomination and Delaware’s judicial diversity efforts
“Governor Carney has ignored the pleas of his constituents and betrayed his own professed commitment to diversity and equity with this decision. The all-white chancery should not remain all white in the year 2022 in a state with nearly 40% people of color. Delaware will never achieve trust in its justice system until judges look like the people they represent. This is a massive step backwards and a slap in the face to myself and every Delawarean and local minister who have joined me to rally in the streets for more fair and equitable courts – but we will not be silenced. I will oppose this nomination strongly in the State Senate and ask that they hear from me and Pastor Hackett, Martin, and others. Enough is enough.” Sharpton resides in New York City.
Carney also nominated Kelly Hicks Sheridan as a Commissioner for the Family Court in New Castle County. Sheridan currently serves as the Assistant Unit Head for the Juvenile Delinquency and Truancy Unit within the Delaware Department of Justice. Sheridan has worked at the Department of Justice for eight years, joining the Department after clerking for the Family Court under Chief Judge Chandlee Johnson Kuhn. Her eight years of practice have focused entirely on issues that come before the Family Court. Sheridan is a graduate of Kutztown University undergraduate and Widener Law School.
The Chancery Daily newsletter (subscription) was critical of the coverage of Cook’s nomination and “Citizens.” Chancery Daily takes an in-depth look at Chancery cases and rulings.
“TCD reluctantly touches upon the manner in which many news outlets have reported Mr. Cook’s nomination — which we consider unfortunate and undeservedly unfair toward the nominee,” the newsletter wrote “TCD agrees with the societal objectives of diversity and equality but considers derision of an individual nominee as ‘yet another white man’ — see Citizens for Judicial Fairness, Reverend Al Sharpton Slam Governor Carney for Nomination of White Man to Chancery Court — sadly misguided. In our view, Mr. Cook is eminently qualified, a foreseeable asset to the Court of Chancery, and his nomination is an unambiguous positive for the Delaware corporate law community of interest.
