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Family Court
All appointments and reappointments were approved by the Mayor's Advisory Committee on the Judiciary and the New York City Bar's Committee on Judiciary, as well as Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo and Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs Carol Robles-Román.

Judge Jody Adams
Judge Michael A. Ambrosio
Judge Alan Beckoff
Judge Mary E. Bednar
Judge Stephen J. Bogacz
Judge Rhoda J. Cohen
Judge Susan S. Danoff
Judge Tandra L. Dawson
Judge Guy P. DePhillips
Judge Catherine M. DiDomenico
Judge Monica Drinane
Judge Lee H. Elkins
Judge Nora L. Freeman
Judge Douglas E. Hoffman
Judge John M. Hunt
Judge Susan K. Knipps
Judge Fran Lubow
Judge Myrna Martinez-Perez
Judge Ruben A. Martino
Judge Terrence J. McElrath
Judge Margaret McGowan
Judge Juan Merchan
Judge Martin Murphy
Judge Emily M. Olshansky
Judge Clark V. Richardson
Judge Edwina Richardson
Judge Gayle P. Roberts
Judge Jeanette Ruiz
Judge Helene Sacco
Judge Barbara Salinitro
Judge Carol Sherman
Judge Gloria Sosa-Lintner
Judge Jeffrey S. Sunshine
Judge Linda Tally
Judge Daniel Turbow


Judge Jody Adams was first appointed to the Family Court in 1993. Before becoming a judge, Judge Adams directed and wrote the Vera Institute's Family Court Disposition Study and practiced law in the Family Court. She received a JD from Yale Law School. Reappointed November 2002.

Judge Michael A. Ambrosio is currently an Acting Supreme Court Justice in Kings County. He was first appointed to Family Court in 1983, and subsequently reappointed in 1992, serving in both Queens and Kings Counties as Supervising Judge. Judge Ambrosio received a BA from Fordham University in 1966 and a JD from Harvard Law School in 1969. Reappointed August 2002.

Judge Alan Beckoff was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in September 2008 and has been serving in the Family Court.  He is a graduate of Lafayette College and received his J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo.  For 21 years, he worked for the New York City Law Department, serving as Deputy Borough Chief in the Family Court Division and as Senior Counsel in the Appeals Division. Appointed December 2008. (Formerly appointed to the Interim Civil Court September 2008).

Judge Mary E. Bednar was first appointed to the Family Court in March 1986. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and received her JD from the University of Michigan Law School. Judge Bednar previously served in the Legal Aid Society, the New York State Attorney General's Office, and was in private practice. Reappointed August 2005.

Judge Stephen J. Bogacz was first appointed to the Family Court in March 1995. He is a graduate of Fordham College, received his Masters from Fordham Graduate School, and his JD from Fordham Law School. He served in the Family Court Division of the New York City Law Department for nearly twenty years. Reappointed August 2005.

Judge Rhoda J. Cohen has been a Family Court Judge since 1983. Judge Cohen, who had been Attorney-in-Charge of the Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Division's Staten Island Office, is a graduate of Fordham University Law School. Reappointed November 2002.

Judge Susan S. Danoff was first appointed to the bench in August 2004 as an Interim 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. Appointed December 2004. (Formerly appointed to the Interim Civil Court August 2004.)

Judge Tandra L. Dawson was first appointed to the Family Court in July 1998. She is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School. Judge Dawson previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx County District Attorney's Office. Reappointed December 2004.

Judge Guy P. DePhillips, who has served as a Family Court Judge since 1983, is the Supervising Judge of Queens County Family Court and is an Acting Supreme Court Justice. Before becoming a judge, Judge DePhillips was Principal Appellate Law Assistant for the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, and he received an LLB from St. John's University and an LLM from New York University School of Law. Reappointed November 2002.

Judge Catherine M. 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. (Formerly appointed to the Interim Civil Court January 2005). Appointed to the Family Court December 2005; reappointed January 2007.

Judge 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 master's degree from Fordham University, and her law degree 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. Appointed January 2008. (Formerly appointed to the Interim Civil Court August 2004; reappointed December 2004, December 2005, January 2007).

Judge Lee H. Elkins was first appointed to the bench as a Criminal Court Judge in April 1995. In November 1995, Judge Elkins was appointed to the Family Court. He is a graduate of St. John's College and received his JD from Boston University Law School. Judge Elkins previously served in the Legal Aid Society and was a law clerk to the late Judge Harold J. Rothwax. Reappointed December 2005.

Judge Nora L. Freeman is currently a Family Court Judge in Kings County. She was first appointed to Family Court in 1993, serving in both Queens and Kings Counties. Judge Freeman received a BA from SUNY Binghamton in 1971 and a JD from the New York University School of Law in 1976. Reappointed August 2002.

Judge Douglas E. Hoffman was first appointed to the bench as a Criminal Court Judge in January 2003, and was assigned to the Family Court. He is a graduate of Oberlin College and received his JD from New York University School of Law. Judge Hoffman was a former Housing Court Judge and formerly served in the Legal Aid Society. Appointed October 2005. (Formerly appointed to the Criminal Court January 2003.)

Judge John M. Hunt was appointed to the Family Court in March 1996. He is a graduate of Fordham University and received his JD from Fordham University School of Law. He previously served in the Legal Aid Society. Reappointed December 2005.

Judge Susan K. Knipps was first appointed to the bench in July 2000 as an Interim Civil Court Judge and was serving in Family Court. She was subsequently appointed to the Family Court in August 2004. Judge Knipps received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles and is a graduate of Yale Law School. Prior to her appointment, Judge Knipps clerked for a federal court judge, was an associate at a private firm, worked for the Legal Aid Society and served in various positions in the courts, including Deputy Counsel to Chief Judge Judith Kaye. Reappointed December 2007.

Judge Fran Lubow was first appointed to the Family Court in December 1990. She graduated from the City University of New York and received her law degree from Syracuse University. Judge Lubow formerly served with the New York City Department of Probation, the New York City Law Department's Family Court Division, and the New York City Human Resources Administration. She also worked at private law firms. Reappointed February 2008.

Judge Myrna Martinez-Perez, whom Mayor Bloomberg appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in 2002, was reappointed to the Family Court. Judge Martinez-Perez had previously been appointed to the Family Court in 1990 and reappointed in 1992. Judge Martinez-Perez received a JD from Rutgers University School of Law. Reappointed December 2002. (Formerly appointed to the Interim Civil Court June 2002.)

Judge Ruben A. Martino, who formerly served as a Housing Court Judge in the Bronx since 1994 was appointed to the Family Court. Judge Martino, who was Senior Supervising Attorney of the Housing Unit and Supervising Attorney of the Family and Consumer Unit at the Legal Aid Society, received a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Appointed January 2003.

Judge Terrence J. McElrath was appointed to the Family Court in December 1995. He is a graduate of Sienna College and received his JD from Rutgers State University School of Law. He was formerly a social worker at the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services and also served in the Family Court Division of the New York City Law Department. Reappointed December 2005.

Judge 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. Appointed August 2006.

Judge 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. Appointed August 2006.

Judge 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. Reappointed November 2006.

Judge Emily M. Olshansky was first appointed to the Family Court in August 2004. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and received her law degree from Cardozo Law School. She was an associate at two matrimonial law firms and held various positions at the New York State Supreme Court's Appellate Division, First Department, including Law Guardian Director. Reappointed October 2007.

Judge Clark V. Richardson was first appointed to the Family Court in 1995. He is a graduate of Cornell Law School. Judge Richardson was a former borough chief in the Family Court Division of the New York City Law Department. Reappointed July 2004.

Judge Edwina Richardson was first appointed to the Family Court in January 2003. She is a graduate of CUNY Law School. Judge Richardson was formerly a court attorney-referee in the Queens County Family Court. Appointed January 2003; reappointed July 2004.

Judge Gayle P. Roberts was appointed as a Family Court Judge in April 1997. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburg and received her JD from Tulane University School of Law. Judge Roberts formerly served in the Bronx County District Attorney's Office. Reappointed December 2005.

Judge Jeanette Ruiz was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in July 2007. She has been presiding in Family Court. Judge Ruiz received her undergraduate degree from Hunter College, her master's degree from Columbia University's School of Social Work, and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to her appointment, Judge Ruiz served as a law clerk, was with New York City's Law Department and the Department of Business Services, served as General Counsel to the Harlem Dowling West Side Center for Children and Family Services, and most recently served as the Deputy Commissioner, Division of Family Permanency Services for New York City's Administration for Children's Services. Appointed April 2008. (Formerly appointed to the Interim Civil Court July 2007; reappointed January 2008).

Judge 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. Appointed August 2006. Reappointed January 2009.

Judge Barbara Salinitro formerly served in the New York City Law Department, Family Court Division, since 1987 where she rose to the position of Borough Chief. She was appointed to the Family Court in 1996. Judge Salinitro is a member of the American Bar Association and earned her JD from Boston University School of Law. Reappointed December 2003.

Judge Carol Sherman was appointed to the Family Court in May 2008. She is a graduate of the University of Rochester and received her J.D. from Harvard Law School. She served with the Legal Aid Society for 26 years before becoming the Executive Director and Founder of The Children’s Law Center. She was also an Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn Law School for seven years. Appointed May 2008.

Judge Gloria Sosa-Lintner is currently a Family Court Judge in New York County. She was first appointed to Family Court in 1988, and subsequently reappointed in 1992, serving in both Bronx and New York Counties. Judge Sosa-Lintner received a BA from Barnard College in 1970 and a JD from the New York University School of Law in 1975. Reappointed August 2002.

Judge Jeffrey S. Sunshine, currently an Acting Supreme Court Justice, was first appointed to the Family Court in 1998. Before becoming a judge, Judge Sunshine was a Principal Law Clerk to the late Honorable Barry Hurowitz, Acting Justice of the Supreme Court in Kings and Richmond Counties. He was also a founding partner at his private practice, Sunshine & Goldberg where he concentrated in matrimonial, family and elder law. He received a JD from Hofstra University School of Law. Reappointed December 2003.

Judge 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. Appointed August 2006.

Judge Daniel Turbow was appointed to the Family Court in April 1997. He is a graduate of Brooklyn College, received his Masters in Political Science from the Graduate Faculty of the New School for Social Research, and received his JD from Brooklyn Law School. Judge Turbow formerly served in the New York City Law Department, was in private practice, and clerked for a federal district court chief judge, the late Judge Jacob Mishler. Reappointed December 2005.




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