Biography
B.S., Union College
J.D., Brooklyn Law School
M.A.P.A., University of Virginia
Ph.D., University of Virginia
Vincent Martin Bonventre is the Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor at Albany Law School. He received his PhD in Government, specializing in public law, at the University of Virginia; a JD from Brooklyn Law School; and a BS from Union College.
Dr. Bonventre teaches, comments and advises on courts, judges, and various areas of public law. Those areas include the judicial process, the Supreme Court and the New York Court of Appeals, criminal law, and civil liberties. He has authored numerous works and lectures regularly on those subjects.
Prior to joining the Albany Law School faculty in 1990, he was a law clerk to Judges Matthew J. Jasen and Stewart F. Hancock, Jr. of New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. Between those clerkships, he was selected by Chief Justice Warren Burger to serve as a Supreme Court Judicial Fellow. Previously, he served two tours in the U.S. Army—one in military intelligence and one as trial counsel in the JAG Corps.
Dr. Bonventre is the author of New York Court Watcher, a blog devoted to research and commentary on the U.S. Supreme Court and the New York Court of Appeals. He is also the founder and Editor of State Constitutional Commentary, an annual publication of the Albany Law Review devoted to American state constitutional law, and he is the founder and Director of the Center for Judicial Process. He is also the editor-in-chief, Government, Law, & Policy Journal (New York State Bar Association).
Recent publications include 6 to 3: The Impact of the Supreme Court’s Conservative Super-Majority, NYSBA Journal (Nov./Dec. 2023); Supreme State Courts: Protecting Rights and Liberties DESPITE the Supreme Court, Albany Law Review (2022) [w/ Tori Deyo & Matthew Skinner]; Great Dissents: ‘Matters of High Principle’ at the Court of Appeals, NYSBA Journal (Nov./Dec. 2022); With Roe v. Wade in the Balance, Understanding Constitutional Precedent, NYSBA Journal (July/Aug. 2022); Supremely Divided: Court’s Conservative Bent Intensifies, NYSBA Journal (Sept./Oct. 2021); Supreme Shift: What the 6-3 Conservative Majority Means Going Forward, NYSBA Journal (Jan./Feb. 2021); Religious Liberty: Fundamental Right or Nuisance, U. St. Thomas L.J. (2018); LIVING ON DEATH ROW: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF WAITING TO DIE [co-edited with Hans Toch and James Acker] (Amer. Psych. Assoc., 2018; PROSE Award in Psychology, 2019).
Many of his publications can be accessed at SSRN.
Center for Judicial Process
The Center for Judicial Process is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization devoted to the interdisciplinary research and study of courts and judges, including decision-making and voting, the judicial role and selection, and other facets of the judicial process. The Center's mission is to encourage such research and study and to provide a forum for publication.
The organization of the Center, as well as the research and study undertaken and published, is intended to be primarily the work of students. It is operated by a staff of students of Albany Law School, under the direction of Albany Law School Professor Vincent Martin Bonventre. The Center, however, welcomes law students and law-related graduate students nationwide to participate in the work of the Center and to contribute research and study of the judicial process for publication.
Ultimately, the Center's aim in encouraging and publishing judicial research and studies is to serve as a valuable educational resource for the academic community, public officials, journalists, and the public at large.
In the News
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was quoted in the Reuters story, “New York state confirms new chief judge, installing liberal nominee,” on April 20, 2023.
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was quoted in the in the NY Focus story, “Two New Judges Could Mark a Liberal Shift for New York’s Highest Court,” on April 20, 2023.
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was quoted in the Newsday story, “State Senate confirms Caitlin Halligan for Court of Appeals,” on April 20, 2023.
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was quoted in the Law.com story, “Court watchers eye early challenges wilson may face in elevation to chief judge,” on April 20, 2023.
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was quoted in the Bloomberg Law story, “N.Y. Top Judge Pick Went from Cravath to Leading Court Liberal,” on April 18, 2023.
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was quoted in the Albany Times Union story, “Senate panel supports Wilson's confirmation as chief judge,” on April 17, 2023.
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was quoted in the Albany Times Union story, “Potential lawsuit could pause second Court of Appeals nomination,” on April 17, 2023.
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was quoted in the Gothamist story, “Gov. Hochul’s top court picks could help tip the balance of Congress,” on April 12, 2023.
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was featured in Enews.com story, “Gov. Kathy Hochul taps liberal Judge Rowan Wilson to lead NY’s highest court,” on April 11, 2023.
Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law Vincent Bonventre was featured in the WTEN story, “Next steps in Chief Judge nomination process,” on April 11, 2023.
