Editorial Notes: January 2017

I am extremely honored to write my first “Editorial Notes” for Family Court Review, and I am most grateful to the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Board of Directors for appointing me to succeed Professor Andrew Schepard. I have been a devoted reader of and contributor to FCR (and its predecessor journals) for many decades, and I have been a committed AFCC member since the early 1990s. Although I doubt anyone can fill Professor Schepard’s shoes, I certainly plan to try my best to follow in his incredibly large footsteps. He is a dear friend and colleague with whom I regularly have consulted and collaborated since my early days in law school teaching, and I am most appreciative of his unwavering support. It is with a heavy heart, however, that I must mention the untimely passing of Ruth Stern. Ruth and her husband, Professor Herbie DiFonzo, along with Dr. Robert Emery, oversaw and maintained the operation of FCR at Hofstra during the transition year prior to my appointment. Ruth served as Managing Editor of FCR during her tenure with the journal. I met Ruth last March at an editorial meeting at Hofstra, and we communicated throughout the latter part of the transition process. It was obvious from the interactions at the editorial meeting that Ruth had developed close working relationships with the law student staff, who displayed their respect and affection for her. Likewise, in the short time I had the privilege to work with Ruth, she welcomed me to FCR with warmth, humility, encouragement, and support. I have known Herbie for quite some time, and, on behalf of FCR, I extend to him our deepest sympathies. Bob Emery’s October 2016 Editorial Notes provide more information about Ruth and a description of his working relationship with her. In addition, Herbie’s fitting tribute to his wife is forthcoming in the April 2017 issue of FCR