Civil Court Judges

Judge M. Liberty Aldrich was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in June 2021 and is serving in Family Court. She received her A.B. from Harvard University and her law degree from New York University School of Law. Prior to her appointment, Judge Aldrich served as General Counsel, Director of Gender-based Violence and Family Court Programs, as well as, Managing Director with the Center for Court Innovation for nearly two decades. Before that she was with Safe Horizon as the Senior Director of the Domestic Violence and Immigration Law Projects. Judge Aldrich also helped establish Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT), a non-profit information service for family court litigants, during her time with Mobilization for Youth (MFY) Legal Services (now known as Mobilization for Justice (MFJ) Legal Services). Appointed June 2021. Reappointed January 2022.

Judge Anthony M. Battisti was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in December 2021 and is serving in Criminal Court. He received both his undergraduate degree and his J.D. from St. John’s University. Judge Battisti was a former Queens County Assistant District Attorney, where he was assigned to the Intake, Criminal Court, Grand Jury, and Supreme Court Bureaus. Thereafter, he entered into a law partnership and soon left to start his own practice. He was a private practitioner in Queens for over 27 years specializing in criminal defense and residential real estate. Appointed December 2021. Reappointed January 2022.

Judge Diego A. Freire was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in December 2021 and is serving in Criminal Court. Judge Freire is a graduate of Queens College and received his law degree from Temple University, Beasley School of Law. For 14 years, he served with The Legal Aid Society, Queens County Criminal Defense Practice and prior to his appointment to the bench, he held dual titles of Senior Staff Attorney and Adolescent Intervention and Diversion Attorney. Appointed December 2021. Reappointed January 2022.

Judge Marty J. Lentz was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in December 2021 and is serving in Criminal Court. She is a graduate of Loyola University in Chicago and received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. She was a former Law Clerk in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. Judge Lentz also served with The Legal Aid Society for 17 years as a Staff Attorney assigned to the Brooklyn Criminal Defense Practice, Misdemeanor Brooklyn Treatment Court, and most recently the Red Hook Community Justice Center, prior to her appointment to the bench. Appointed December 2021. Reappointed January 2022.

Judge Cynthia Lopez was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in June 2021 and is serving in Family Court. She received her B.S., magna cum laude, from St. John’s University and her law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. Judge Lopez began her legal career with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, where she served for twenty years. Most recently she served as the Borough Chief of the Brooklyn Family Court Legal Services. In her various roles with the Administration for Children’s Services, Judge Lopez has served in Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and Brooklyn. Appointed June 2021. Reappointed January 2022.

Judge Janet McFarland was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in March 2021 and is serving in Family Court. She is a graduate of Fordham University and received her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Judge McFarland was most recently a Family Court Attorney Referee in Richmond County. Prior to that, she served as a Principal Attorney with the Mental Hygiene Legal Service after beginning her career as a prosecutor with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. Appointed March 2021. Reappointed January 2022.

Judge Gigi Parris was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in March 2021 and is serving in Family Court. She is a graduate of Harvard University and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia, School of Law. Judge Parris was most recently a Court Attorney in both Queens and Bronx Family Courts. Prior to that, she served as a Supervising Attorney with the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem’s Family Defense Practice, as a Staff Attorney with the Bronx Defenders’ Family Defense Practice, and as a corporate associate with a large private firm. Appointed March 2021. Reappointed January 2022.

Judge Stephanie Schwartz was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in December 2021 and is serving in Family Court. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison and received her law degree from CUNY School of Law. Judge Schwartz began her career with The Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Practice and later served with the New York City Administration for Children's Services in New York and Bronx Counties for over nine years. Prior to her appointment to the bench, she was a Court Attorney-Referee in New York County Family Court for five years. Appointed December 2021. Reappointed January 2022.