Bar association finds 2 Suffolk surrogate candidates qualified

Both major party Suffolk Surrogate Court judge candidates, Republican Tara Scully and Democrat Theresa Whelan, supervisor judge of the Family Court, were found qualified by the Suffolk County Bar Association after screenings at the group’s headquarters in Hauppauge Thursday night, said Justin Block, the bar president.

Conservative District Court Judge Marian Rose Tinari, who had been a cross-endorsed Surrogate judge candidate, but dropped out after Scully filed petitions to run a Democratic primary, also was screened Thursday for state Supreme Court justice.

Party officials who were part of the Democratic, Conservative and Independence parties’ cross-endorsement agreement have indicated that Tinari will be considered for one of four state Supreme Court nominations, which take place in September.

Block said Conservative Family Court Judge Deborah Poulos, who is now the minor party’s candidate for Surrogate Court judge, has not yet appeared for a bar screening, but is arranging to go before the committee within the next several weeks.