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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 049-07
February 13, 2007

MAYOR BLOOMBERG SWEARS IN EIGHTEEN JUDGES

Voices Support for Judicial Pay Increases

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today swore in eighteen judges to serve in the City’s Family Criminal, and Civil Courts. The swearing-in ceremony included four new Family Court judges, three Criminal Court judges and one Civil Court judge.  The Mayor also reappointed two Family Court Judges, five Criminal Court Judges, and three Civil Court Judges. At today’s ceremony, the Mayor called on the State legislature to adopt the $100 million included in Governor Spitzer’s budget for long overdue judicial pay raises. Mayor Bloomberg was joined by Deputy Mayor Carol Robles- Román at the swearing-in ceremony in the New York County Surrogate’s Court.

“Serving as a judge is a great responsibility, as each of these jurists must hear and decide cases that have a tremendous impact on the lives of countless New Yorkers,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “The men and women sworn in today not only contribute to the quality of justice in New York City, but reflect the diversity, integrity, independence and overall excellence of the judges our administration has selected over the last five years. To continue to attract the best candidates to the bench, we must work to increase judicial compensation and I applaud Governor Spitzer for proposing pay raises in his executive budget. The esteemed group of judges appointed today will serve New Yorkers competently and ethically to ensure fair administration of justice.”

The Mayor swore in the following judges:

New Appointments

Family Court

Honorable Juan Merchan was appointed to the Family Court in August 2006.  He is a graduate of Baruch College and received his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law. He served with the New York State Office of the Attorney General for seven years and most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General in-charge of their Nassau County regional office. He began his legal career with the New York County District Attorney’s Office.  He is married with three children and resides in Queens.

Honorable Margaret McGowan was appointed to the Family Court in August 2006.  Judge McGowan is a graduate of Queens College and received her J.D. from CUNY School of Law. She served as a Housing Court Judge for eight years and prior to that was a court attorney for New York City Civil Court. She was also an associate for two law firms. Judge McGowan resides in Queens.
Honorable Helene Sacco was appointed to the Family Court in August 2006. She received both her undergraduate and law school degrees from St. John’s University.  Judge Sacco most recently served as the court attorney to the Supervising Judge of Richmond County’s Civil Court for almost ten years. She was also an associate for several law firms as well as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at St. John’s University. She is married with two children and resides in Staten Island.

Honorable Linda Tally was appointed to the Family Court in August 2006. She received her undergraduate degree from Kirkland/Hamilton College and her law degree from Hofstra University School of Law. Judge Tally has a long and distinguished legal career of nearly 23 years of public service with the Family Court, most recently as a referee for 6 years. She resides in Manhattan.

Criminal Court

Honorable Abraham Clott was first appointed to the bench in January 2004 as an Interim Civil Court Judge and has been serving in Criminal Court.  He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and his law degree from New York University School of Law. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Clott served with the Legal Aid Society in the Criminal Appeals Bureau and the Federal Defender Division.  He was also an associate for a private firm as well as a law clerk to a federal judge.  Judge Clott resides in Manhattan with his domestic partner. 

Honorable Alma Cordova was first appointed to the Family Court bench in August 1993.  Judge Cordova graduated from Lehman College with honorary degrees and received her law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law. Judge Cordova previously served as a Family Court Hearing Examiner, served in the Family Court Division of the New York City Law Department, and with the Legal Aid Society. She resides in the Bronx with her husband and has one daughter. 

Honorable Alex Zigman was first appointed to the bench as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2004 and has been serving in Criminal Court. He is a graduate of Queens College and received his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Judge Zigman spent his entire legal career in public service including the Queens and Bronx District Attorney’s Office. He also served as Inspector General for three city agencies, as well as First Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Investigation. Judge Zigman resides in Queens with his wife and two children.

Civil Court

Honorable Robert Mandelbaum was appointed to the bench as an Interim Civil Court Judge in November 2006. He has been serving in Criminal Court. Judge Mandelbaum received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his law degree from New York University School of Law. He most recently served as Chief Judge Judith Kaye’s law clerk for over three years and prior to that, was with the New York County Defenders Services, the Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Division as a criminal defense attorney and Acting Director of Training. Judge Mandelbaum was also previously with New York University’s School of Law as an Acting Assistant Professor of Clinical Law and as a Research Instructor in their Lawyering Program. He resides in Manhattan.

Re-appointments

Family Court

Honorable Catherine DiDomenico was first appointed to the bench in January 2005 as an Interim Civil Court Judge. She was subsequently appointed to the Family Court in January 2006. Judge DiDomenico is a graduate of Fordham University and received her J.D. from Fordham Law School. Prior to her appointment, she served as an Administrative Law Judge with the New York City Environmental Control Board and as an Impartial Hearing Officer with the New York City Board of Education. She was also an associate for a private firm as well as legal counsel to Congressman Vito Fossella. She is married with three children and resides in Staten Island.

Honorable Martin Murphy, currently serving as an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was first appointed to the Family Court in April 1997 but has presided in Criminal Court and the Criminal Term of Supreme Court. He most recently served as the Supervising Judge of New York County Criminal Court for five years. He graduated from Seton Hall University and received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School. Prior to his appointment, Judge Murphy spent 18 years with the Legal Aid Society where he last served as an Attorney-in-Charge, and prior to that, he served with the New York City Criminal Justice Coordinator’s Office. He is married with two children and resides in Brooklyn.

Criminal Courts

Honorable Alexander Calabrese was first appointed to the Criminal Court in April 1997. He currently serves as an Acting Supreme Court Justice and has presided in the Red Hook Community Justice Center since April 2000. Judge Calabrese received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and received his law degree from Fordham Law School. He began his legal career with the Legal Aid Society and subsequently served as a court attorney to the Honorable Leslie Crocker Snyder, former judge. Judge Calabrese is married with two children and resides in Brooklyn.

Honorable Patricia Henry was first appointed to the Criminal Court in June 2003. She is currently an Acting Supreme Court Justice and presides in the Integrated Domestic Violence Court. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Dayton and her law degree from Brooklyn Law School. Judge Henry formerly served as Counsel to the Honorable Judy Harris Kluger, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Court Operations and Planning. Judge Henry also served with the New York City Criminal Justice Coordinator’s Office and in the New York City Law Department’s Family Court Division. She is married with two children and resides in Brooklyn.

Honorable Barry Kron was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in August 1988. He was subsequently appointed to the Criminal Court in December 1991. He is currently an Acting Supreme Court Justice. Judge Kron received his undergraduate degree from Lehman College with honors and graduated from Columbia Law School as a Harlan Stone Fiske Scholar. Most of his legal career was spent serving with the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department as a law secretary. He was also an associate with a law firm. Judge Kron is married with two children and resides in Queens.

Honorable Barbara Newman was first appointed to the Criminal Court in 1988. She is currently an Acting Supreme Court Justice. Judge Newman received her undergraduate degree from Queens College, a master’s degree from City University City College, her law degree from New York Law School and a L.L.M. from New York University School of Law.  Judge Newman spent her entire legal career with the Kings County District Attorney’s Office.  She is married with two children and resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Toko Serita was appointed to the Criminal Court in October 2005. She is a graduate of Vassar College and received her J.D. from City University of New York Law School. Prior to her appointment, Judge Serita served as the Executive Assistant to the Administrative Judge of Queens County Supreme Court, and has worked in a variety of capacities in the New York State Unified Court System since 1999. She also served with the Legal Aid Society, Criminal Appeals Bureau, from 1989 through 1999. She resides in Queens.

Civil Court

Honorable Monica Drinane was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in August 2004. She has been serving in the Family Court. She is a graduate of St. John's University, she received her Masters from Fordham University, and her J.D. from New York University School of Law. She had spent her entire legal career with the Legal Aid Society for nearly 23 years, where she last served as Attorney-in-Charge of the Juvenile Rights Division. She resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Anthony Ferrara was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2004.  He has been serving in Criminal Court. Judge Ferrara is a graduate of Manhattan College and received his J.D. from Columbia Law School. Judge Ferrara formerly served in the New York County District Attorney's Office and was also in private practice. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and has two children.

Honorable Robert Kalish was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in October 2005.  He has been presiding in Civil Court. Judge Kalish is a graduate of S.U.N.Y. at Buffalo, received his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, and a L.L.M. in tax law from New York University Law School. Judge Kalish has a long and distinguished legal career which includes nearly 30 years of public service with the Corporation Counsel's Office and two years as a law assistant with the New York State Supreme Court, First Judicial Department. Prior to his appointment, Judge Kalish served as the Chief of the New York City Law Department's Brooklyn Tort Division.  He lives in Manhattan with his wife and has two children.

The New York City Criminal Court is a court of citywide criminal jurisdiction with authority over crimes and other violations of the law.  The Criminal Court is comprised of 107 judges, appointed by the Mayor for ten-year terms.

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 ten-year terms in counties within the City of New York.

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.  New York City Civil Court judges 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 Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary nominates three candidates for each vacant judgeship, and the Mayor selects judges from among that group.  For re-appointments, the Mayor’s Advisory 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 Cardozo and Criminal Justice Coordinator John Feinblatt.







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