Mayor Adams Makes Six Judicial Appointments

June 30, 2025

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced six new judicial appointments — two appointments to Criminal Court and four appointments to Civil Court.

“It is my honor to appoint six distinguished New Yorkers to serve as judges in Criminal and Civil Court as they help make New York City safer and the best place to raise a family,” said Mayor Adams. “Our judicial branch is a crucial part of our democracy and helps deliver on our core mission every day. I thank these New Yorkers for their service and commitment to the rule of law.”

“I join Mayor Adams in thanking these talented and dedicated judges for their service,” said City Hall Chief Counsel Allison Stoddart. “New Yorkers deserve a judiciary that treats litigants with respect and is fundamentally fair, and these lawyers have each demonstrated those qualities.”

Mayor Adams appointed the following judges to Criminal Court:

Judge Orville Reynolds was appointed as a Criminal Court judge in June 2025. Judge Reynolds is a former Bronx County assistant district attorney and supervising assistant district attorney, having served for over a decade in the Criminal Court, Grand Jury, Narcotics, Trial, and Homicide Bureaus. He previously served with the New York City Law Department as deputy bureau chief of the Major Case Unit. He was the chief of Advanced Litigation Strategies and Major Case Unit until his appointment to the bench.

Judge Shirin Zarabi was appointed as a Criminal Court judge in June 2025. Judge Zarabi served with The Legal Aid Society, Nassau County as a criminal division attorney before joining the Brooklyn Defender Services as a senior trial attorney. Thereafter, she left to join the New York state Unified Court System, where, prior to her appointment to the bench, she served as a principal court attorney in Supreme Court, Kings County, Criminal Term.

Mayor Adams appointed the following judges to Civil Court:

Judge Jacqueline Cabrera was appointed as an interim Civil Court judge in June 2025 and has been serving in Family Court. Judge Cabrera was an associate attorney at a private firm handling family court cases on behalf of a foster care agency. She then established a private practice litigating matters as a member of the Attorneys for Children and Assigned Counsel Plan, 18b, as well as being a New York City impartial hearing officer for the New York state Education Department. After nearly 20 years of maintaining her private practice, Judge Cabrera joined the New York state Unified Court System as a support magistrate in Family Court, Richmond and Kings Counties, until her appointment to the bench.

Judge Lauren Norton-Lerner was appointed as an interim Civil Court judge in June 2025 and has been serving in Family Court. Judge Norton-Lerner is a former investigative attorney with the United States Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration. She served with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, Division of Legal Services as an attorney level III/team leader and was briefly a bank attorney/title closer and litigation associate with two private firms before returning to the public sector. Judge Norton-Lerner joined the New York state Unified Court System as a court attorney in Family Court, Queens County before becoming a court attorney referee in both Bronx and Queens counties until her appointment to the bench.

Judge Erik Pinsonnault was appointed as an interim Civil Court judge in June 2025 and has been serving in Family Court. Judge Pinsonnault briefly worked as a part-time contract attorney and legal assistant for private law offices before joining the New York state Unified Court System in the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. There, he first served as an appellate court attorney then as a principal law clerk. Judge Pinsonnault then left to serve as an assistant attorney general in the Office of the New York Attorney General in the Litigation Bureau before returning to the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department as a principal appellate court attorney. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he served as a senior principal law clerk to a New York Supreme Court justice in the Appellate Division, Second Department.

Judge Scott Schwartz was appointed as an interim Civil Court judge in June 2025 and has been serving in Family Court. Early in his career, Judge Schwartz practiced at a private firm as an associate, litigating bank and real estate matters. He went on to serve with the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney. Thereafter, Judge Schwartz opened and managed his own solo practice for 20 years, handling matters including abuse and neglect, custody and visitation, and juvenile delinquency. Judge Schwartz was a member of the Assigned Counsel Plan and Office of Attorneys for Children and Felony Panel until his appointment to the bench.