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Queens County appoints new administrative judge for criminal matters

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Judge Donna-Marie E. Golia was appointed as administrative judge for criminal matters in Queens County. (Photo courtesy of NYS Unified Court System)

A graduate of the City University of New York Law School at Queens College has been named the new administrative judge in Queens County.

Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence K. Marks announced the appointment of Hon. Donna-Marie E. Golia as administrative judge for criminal matters, State Supreme Court, Queens County. The appointment was made with the approval of outgoing Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and in consultation with Presiding Justice Hector D. LaSalle, Appellate Division, Second Dept.

In her new capacity, Judge Golia will oversee the management and daily operations of one of New York’s busiest courts. Judge Golia joined the New York state bench in 2013, upon her election to the New York City Civil Court, Queens County. Initially assigned to the New York City Criminal Court, Queens County, she later sat on the bench of Civil Court, Queens County. She was designated an acting supreme court justice in 2016, handling matrimonial and other matters in addition to managing a Civil Court calendar.

From 2018 to 2019, she served as supervising judge, New York City, Civil Court, Queens County, working with the administrative judge in overseeing the court’s day-to-day management. Judge Golia was elected to the State Supreme Court, in Queens County, in 2020, serving both as an associate judge of the Appellate Term, Second Department for the Second, Eleventh and Thirteenth Judicial Districts, hearing appeals from the lower civil and criminal courts in Queens, Kings and Richmond counties, in addition to presiding over matters in State Supreme Court, Queens County.

“Judge Golia is an experienced judge and adept manager with a reputation for fairness and hard work,” Judge Marks said. “She brings extensive knowledge of the law and court operations to her new role. I am pleased that she has agreed to take on this latest challenge and fully confident in her ability to lead the court building upon Judge Grasso’s efforts to optimize efficiency and enhance the quality of justice.”

Before becoming a judge, Judge Golia worked as an assistant district attorney in the Queens County District Attorney’s Office where, over the course of her 11-year tenure, she served in various bureaus, including the office’s Homicide Investigation, Narcotics Trial, Appeals and Special Victims bureaus. Among her professional associations, she is a member of the Queens County Women’s Bar Association and the Columbian Lawyers Association.

Judge Golia succeeds Hon. George Grasso, who retired from the bench last month.

“We are thankful to Judge Grasso for his dedication and tireless efforts over the course of a distinguished judicial career, including his able stewardship of the Queens County Supreme Court-Criminal Term, where he implemented innovative programs while navigating the many challenges of the pandemic. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”