Appoint 38 To Civil, Criminal, Family Courts
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg installed last Wednesday, Feb. 6, 38 judges to serve in the city’s Family, Criminal, and Civil Courts.
The swearing-in ceremony included the appointment of six new Family Court judges, nine new Criminal Court judges, and six new Civil Court judges. The Mayor also reappointed four Family Court judges, twelve Criminal Court judges, and one civil court judge.
Bloomberg was joined at the ceremony by Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs Carol Robles-Román, Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo, Counselor to the Mayor Michael Best, and Executive Director of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary Desiree Kim.
“The judges we are appointing today not only have outstanding legal and professional credentials they also have a thorough understanding of our city, our people, and the realities of the lives they lead,” said Bloomberg. “Our administration takes pride in all we have done to preserve and enhance a process of appointing judges based on integrity, independence, and merit-a process first instituted by former Mayor Ed Koch. He called the judicial merit selection process one of the proudest achievements of his three terms as mayor and with the appointment of today’s judges we carry on his legacy of ensuring integrity on the bench.”
The Family Court of the State of New York in the City of New York has jurisdiction over the protection, treatment, correction, and commitment of minors in need due to neglect, delinquency, or dependency. It also deals with the custody of minors, adoptions, support of dependents, establishment of paternity, proceedings of conciliation, and guardianship.
The Family Court of the State of New York is comprised of 47 judges, appointed by the Mayor for 10-year terms in counties within the City of New York.
The New York City Criminal Court is a court of citywide criminal jurisdiction with authority over crimes and other violations of law. The Criminal Court is comprised of 107 judges, appointed by the Mayor for 10-year terms.
The New York City Civil Court is a court of citywide civil jurisdiction with authority over the actions and proceedings for the recovery of money, the recovery of chattels, and liens on personal property where the amount sought to be recovered or the value of property does not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars. are elected; however, the mayor has the power to appoint interim Civil Court judges to fill vacancies arising on the Civil Court after the election in November. These interim Civil Court judges serve until the vacancies can be filled in the next year’s election, but they are usually assigned to sit in Family or Criminal Court.
All appointments and re-appointments made by the mayor were nominated by the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. The committee nominates three candidates for each vacant judgeship, and the mayor selects judges from among that group. For re-appointments, the committee recommends whether or not to reappoint each judge, and the mayor then decides whether to make the reappointment.
All of the judges appointed and re-appointed have also been found qualified by the Judiciary Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. All nominations were reviewed by Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs Carol Robles-Román, Corporation Counsel Michael Carsupport
–SEE JUDGES ON PG. 60- dozo, Chief Policy Advisor and Criminal Justice Coordinator John Feinblatt and Department of Investigation Commissioner Rose Gil Hearn.
The newly-appointed judges are as follows:
Family Court
– Judge Dean Kusakabe was appointed as a Family Court Judge in July 2012. He is a graduate of Emory University and received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School. Prior to his appointment, he served with the Legal Aid Society in the Juvenile Rights Division and was a solo practitioner specializing in family law. Judge Kusakabe resides in Queens.
– Judge Robert Mulroy was appointed to the Family Court in January 2013. He graduated from Fordham University and Fordham Law School. Prior to his appointment, he was a solo practitioner specializing in family law and was a support magistrate and subsequently deputy chief magistrate of New York State Family Court. Judge Mulroy resides in Queens.
– Judge Peter Passidomo was appointed as a Family Court Judge in July 2012. He received his undergraduate degree from S.U.N.Y. at Albany and his law degree from Fordham Law School. He served with the New York State Unified Court System in various capacities including as chief court attorney to the administrative judge of Family Court, family law advisor to the chief administrative judge, Chief Family Court Magistrate, and chief clerk of the New York City Family Courts. Judge Passidomo resides in the Bronx.
– Judge Valerie Pels was appointed to the Family Court in January 2013. She is a graduate of Duke University and Yale Law School. Prior to her appointment, she served with the Legal Aid Society in the Juvenile Rights Division and as principal law clerk in the Youth Part and Integrated Domestic Violence Part of the Supreme Court. Judge Pels resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Joan Piccirillo was appointed to the Family Court in July 2012. She received her undergraduate degree from Waynesburg University and her law degree from Touro College School of Law. Prior to her appointment, she was in private practice for over 20 years specializing in family law and served as principal court attorney in Family Court and Supreme Court. Judge Piccirillo resides in Queens.
– Judge Lillian Wan was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in July 2012 and has been serving in Family Court. She received her undergraduate degree from Binghamton University and her law degree from Albany Law School. She worked for the New York City Administration for Children’s Services as executive agency counsel and was a court attorney-referee in Surrogate’s Court. Judge Wan resides in Brooklyn.
Criminal Court
– Judge Stephen Antignani was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in July 2012 and has been serving in Criminal Court. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College and his J.D. from Boston College Law School. He served with the Queens County District Attorney’s office and was the deputy chief of the Special Victims Bureau and chief of the Public Corruption Bureau of the Nassau County District Attorney’s office. Judge Antignani resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Michelle Armstrong was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in September 2011 and has been serving in Criminal Court. She graduated from Hampton University and received her law degree from George Washington University, National Law Center. She served with the Kings County District Attorney’s office for 11 years holding various positions including executive assistant district attorney. Subsequently, she was a solo practitioner specializing in criminal defense. Judge Armstrong resides in Queens.
– Judge Curtis Farber was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in July 2012 and has been serving in Criminal Court. He received his undergraduate degree from George Washington University and his law degree from Boston University School of Law. Prior to his appointment, he served with the Bronx County District Attorney’s office and was a solo criminal defense practitioner for 20 years. Judge Farber resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Ernest Hart was appointed to the Criminal Court in January 2013. He graduated from Fordham University and received his law degree from Villanova University. Prior to his appointment, he served with the New York County District Attorney’s office and held various executive positions in the private and public sectors, including chief of staff/special counsel to the former Deputy Mayor for Policy and Education Dennis Walcott. Judge Hart resides in Queens.
– Judge Steven Hornstein was appointed to the Criminal Court in January 2013. He graduated from S.U.N.Y. at Albany and received his law degree from New York Law School. He served with the Bronx County District Attorney’s office and was a criminal defense attorney in private practice for over 20 years. Judge Hornstein resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Gia Morris was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in September 2011 and has been serving in Criminal Court. She received her undergraduate degree from Ithaca College and her law degree from Cardozo School of Law. She was an associate for private law firms, a former prosecutor in Kings County, and held executive positions in city and state investigative agencies. Judge Morris resides in Queens.
– Judge Ann Scherzer was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2012 and has been serving in Criminal Court. She graduated from the University of Michigan and received her law degree from Boston University School of Law. Prior to her appointment, she served with the New York County District Attorney’s office, the New York City Law Department, and the Appellate Division’s Departmental Disciplinary Committee. Judge Scherzer resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Steven Statsinger was appointed to the Criminal Court in January 2013. He received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his law degree from Columbia University School of Law. Prior to his appointment, he served with the Legal Aid Society in the Criminal Appeals Bureau and the Federal Defender Division, and as a supervisor and training director for the Federal Defenders of New York. Judge Statsinger resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Jane Tully was appointed to the Criminal Court in January 2013. She graduated from New York University and Columbia University School of Law. Prior to her appointment, she worked for the New York City Law Department, served as a deputy chief with the New York County District Attorney’s office and bureau chief with the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor. Judge Tully resides in Brooklyn.
Civil Court
– Judge Marcelle Brandes was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2013 and has been serving in Family Court. She graduated from Rutgers University and received her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law. She served with the New York State Unified Court System as a court attorney in Civil and Supreme Court, and as a court attorney/referee in Family Court. Judge Brandes resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Laura Johnson was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2013 and has been serving in Criminal Court. She received her undergraduate degree from Barnard College and her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law. Prior to her appointment, she served with the New York County District Attorney’s office and the Legal Aid Society including as attorney in-charge of the Criminal Appeals Bureau. She also served as an assistant solicitor general. Judge Johnson resides in Brooklyn.
– Judge Laurie Peterson was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2013 and has been serving in Criminal Court. She graduated from Brandeis University and received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law. She served with the Legal Aid Society as a supervising attorney, worked for Queens Law Associates, and was a principal court attorney to a supervising judge of the Criminal Court. Judge Peterson resides in Queens.
– Judge Erik Pitchal was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2013 and has been serving in Family Court. He graduated from Brown University and received his law degree from Yale Law School. Prior to his appointment, he served with the Legal Aid Society in the Juvenile Rights Division, worked for Children’s Rights, and was the director of the Child Advocacy Clinic at Suffolk University Law School. He was also a consultant in child welfare and juvenile justice. Judge Pitchal resides in Brooklyn.
– Judge Julio Rodriguez was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2013 and has been serving in Criminal Court. He graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Temple School of Law. He served with the New York County District Attorney’s office, and held executive positions with the city Department of Investigation and the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. Judge Rodriguez resides in the Bronx.
– Judge Raymond Rodriguez was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2013 and has been serving in Criminal Court. He received his undergraduate degree from St. John’s University and his law degree from Widener University School of Law. Prior to his appointment, he served with the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office and was a solo practitioner for almost nine years specializing in criminal defense, family law, and civil litigation. Judge Rodriguez resides in Staten Island.
Reappointments
Bloomberg also made the following reappointments:
Family Court
– Judge Michael Ambrosio, an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was appointed to the Family Court in 1983 and was a Supervising Judge of Family Court. Judge Ambrosio resides in Brooklyn.
– Judge Ruben Martino, was appointed as a Family Court Judge in January 2003 and served as the Presiding Justice of the Harlem Community Justice Center. Judge Martino resides in the Bronx.
– Judge Gloria Sosa-Lintner was appointed to the Family Court in March 1988. Judge Sosa-Lintner resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Amanda White was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2011 and was subsequently appointed to the Family Court in December 2011. Judge White resides in Manhattan.
Criminal Court
– Judge Miriam Best, an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was first appointed to the bench as an Interim Civil Court Judge in June 2003. She was subsequently appointed to the Criminal Court in October 2005. Judge Best resides in Manhattan.
– Judge James Burke, an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was appointed to the Criminal Court in December 2001. Judge Burke resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Richard Carruthers, an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was appointed to the Criminal Court in February 1983. Judge Carruthers resides in Manhattan.
– Judge John Carter, an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was appointed to the Criminal Court in July 2000. Judge Carter resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Joel Goldberg, an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was appointed to the Criminal Court in July 1987. Judge Goldberg resides in Staten Island.
– Judge William Harrington, was appointed to the Criminal Court in December 2001. Judge Harrington resides in Queens.
– Judge Alan Marrus, an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was appointed to the Criminal Court in February 1983. Judge Marrus resides in Brooklyn.
– Judge Edward McLaughlin, an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was appointed to the Criminal Court bench in March 1983. Judge McLaughlin resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Alan Meyer is currently the Supervising Judge of Richmond County Criminal Court. Judge Meyer resides in Staten Island.
– Judge Patricia Nuñez, an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was appointed to the Criminal Court bench in October 1997. Judge Nuñez resides in Manhattan.
– Judge Joanne Quiñones, was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in September 2010. She was subsequently appointed to the Criminal Court in January 2011. Judge Quiñones resides in Brooklyn.
– Judge John Zoll was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in September 2010. He was subsequently appointed to the Criminal Court in January 2012. Judge Zoll resides in Queens.
Civil Court
– Judge Linda Tally was first appointed to the Family Court in August 2006. Judge Tally resides in Manhattan.
