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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 054-05
February 8, 2005

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG SWEARS IN TWENTY-ONE JUDGES

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today swore in twenty-one judges to serve in the City’s Criminal, Civil and Family Courts.  The swearing-in ceremony included three new Criminal Court judges, three Civil Court judges, three Family Court judges and twelve re-appointments.  Mayor Bloomberg was joined at the swearing-in ceremony by Deputy Mayor Carol Robles-Roman at the New York County Surrogate’s Court.

“Judges are called upon to interpret the law, prudently consider the best interest of the people while protecting against the infringement of an individual’s rights,” said Mayor Bloomberg.  “Our City will rely on their wisdom and ability to be impartial arbiters and serve the best interest of justice.”

The Mayor swore in the following judges:

New Appointments

Criminal Court

Honorable Jeffrey Lebowitz was first appointed to the bench in August 1993 as a Civil Court judge. He is a graduate of Hofstra University School of Law.  Prior to his appointment, Judge Lebowitz was the law secretary to the Honorable Phillip J. Chetta.  He has served on numerous bar associations including Chair of the Board of Directors of the Brandeis Association.  Judge Lebowitz is married with two children and resides in Queens.

Honorable Judith Lieb was first appointed to the bench in July 1999 as a Civil Court judge.  She is a graduate of Michigan Law School.  Prior to her appointment, Judge Lieb served as a Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.  Judge Lieb has one daughter and resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Mary O’Donoghue was first appointed to the bench in January 2003 as a Civil Court judge.  She is a graduate of St. John’s University School of Law.  Prior to her appointment, Judge O’ Donoghue served for eight years as a Special Assistant for the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. She is married with three sons and resides in Queens.

Family Court

Honorable Susan Danoff was first appointed to the bench in August 2003 as a Civil Court judge. She is a graduate of The Benjamin Cardozo School of Law.  Prior to her appointment, she was a referee at the Kings County Family Court. She is married with two children and resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Susan Knipps was first appointed to the bench in July 2000 as a Civil Court judge. She is a graduate of Yale Law School. Prior to her appointment, Judge Knipps worked for the Legal Aid Society and served in various positions in the courts, including Deputy Counsel to Chief Judge Judith Kaye. She resides in Brooklyn.

Honorable Emily Olshansky most recently worked at the New York State Supreme Court in the Appellate Division. She was also an associate for two private firms. Judge Olshansky graduated from The Benjamin Cardozo School of Law and resides in Manhattan.

Civil Court

Honorable Catherine DiDomenico has recently served at the New York City Department of Education as an Impartial Hearing Officer and at the New York City Environmental Control Board as an Administrative Law Judge.  She was also an associate for a private firm as well as legal counsel to a Congressman.  Judge DiDomenico graduated from Fordham Law School. She is married with three children and resides in Staten Island.

Honorable Karen Lupuloff most recently worked at the Office of the New York State Attorney General and also served at as an Assistant District Attorney for the New York County District Attorney’s Office.  She is a graduate of Temple University School of Law and served on the Criminal Justice Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association.  Judge Lupuloff has one daughter and resides in Manhattan. 

Honorable Matthew Sciarrino has worked for the past ten years for the New York State Unified Court System in Richmond County. He is a graduate of St. John’s University School of Law and served as Director of the Richmond County Bar Association.  Judge Sciarrino is married with two children and resides in Staten Island. 

Re-appointments

Criminal Courts

Honorable Gerald Harris was first appointed to the bench in 2000 as a Criminal Court judge. He is a graduate of New York University School of Law. Judge Harris previously served as Deputy Commissioner, General Counsel, for the Administration for Children’s Services. Judge Harris is married with two children and resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Pauline Mullings was first appointed to the bench in March 1995 as a Criminal Court judge.  She is a graduate of Columbia Law School.  Judge Mullings previously worked for the Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Division. She currently resides in Queens.

Honorable Megan Tallmer is currently an Acting Supreme Court Justice and was first appointed to the bench as a Civil Court judge in December 1989.  She is a graduate of Cornell Law School.  Judge Tallmer previously served as Deputy Counsel in the New York State Unified Court System, Office of Court Administration, was a former staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society, and was an associate for a private law firm. Judge Tallmer is married with four children and resides in Manhattan.

Family Court

Honorable Tandra Dawson was first appointed to the Family Court bench in July 1998.  She is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School. Judge Dawson previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Office of the District Attorney for Bronx County.  Judge Dawson and her husband reside in Manhattan.

Honorable Clark Richardson was first appointed to the Family Court bench in 1995. He is a graduate of Cornell Law School. Judge Richardson was a former borough chief for the New York City Law Department, Family Court Division.  He currently resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Edwina Richardson was first appointed to the Family Court in January 2003. She is a graduate of CUNY Law School.  Judge Richardson was a former court attorney-referee of the Queens County Family Court. She has one daughter and currently resides in the Bronx.

Civil Court

Honorable Miriam Best was first appointed to the bench as a Civil Court judge in June 2003.  Judge Best is a graduate of Yale Law School.  Judge Best previously worked in the private sector and later served as an Assistant District Attorney in Kings County and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office, as well as the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for New York City and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District where she held supervisory and senior positions.  She resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Abraham Clott was first appointed to the Civil Court in January 2004. Judge Clott most recently worked at 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 graduated from New York University School of Law and resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Monica Drinane was first appointed to the Civil Court in August 2004. A graduate of New York University School of Law, Judge Drinane previously worked as an English teacher and later served as attorney-in-charge in both the Manhattan and Bronx Trial Offices of the Legal Aid Society, as well as attorney-in-charge in its Juvenile Rights Division.  She resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Anthony Ferrara was first appointed to the Civil Court in January 2004. He is a graduate of Columbia Law School. He previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office and was also an attorney in private practice.  He is married with two children and resides in Manhattan.

Honorable Ruth Smith was first appointed to the Civil Court in June 2003.  She is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. She previously served in the New York County District Attorney’s Office and was also an attorney in private practice.  Most recently, she was an Assistant Deputy Chief Court Attorney of the Appellate Division, First Department.  Judge Smith has one daughter and resides in Brooklyn.

Honorable Alex Zigman was first appointed to the Civil Court in January 2004. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School. Most recently, he was Senior Investigative Assistant District Attorney of the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office. He is married with two children and resides in Queens.

All appointments and re-appointments were made after nominations 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, and were approved by Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs Carol Robles-Román, Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo and Criminal Justice Coordinator John Feinblatt.







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