NYC Supreme Court Judges

Below is a list of the Supreme Court Judges that may handle your divorce case in New York City, divided by county. Your divorce proceedings will be held in the same county court system in which your divorce was filed. It is important for you to hire an attorney who regularly practices before these judges, and is familiar with each county’s court proceedings and Uniform County Rules. Our experience and knowledge of the court system in New York City are essential to helping you win your case.

Bronx County Supreme Court

Ira R. Globerman (retired)
Ira R. Globerman is an acting matrimonial Judge in Supreme Court in Bronx Couny, appointed to the bench in 1998. Previously, he served as a Judge in Civil Court of the City of New York from 1996 to 2005 and as as Judge, First Judicial Office, in 1986. Judge Globerman also worked at the Legal Aid Society in the Criminal trial Division, for Otterbourg, Steindler, Houston and Rosen, and for Judge Dorothy A. Cropper as a Law Secretary. Judge Globerman was admitted to practice in the Appellate Division, Second Department in 1967 after attending Brooklyn College for his undergraduate degree and New York University School of Law for his JD.

La Tia Martin
La Tia Martin is a Supreme Court Judge in Bronx County, appointed to the bench in 1999. La Tia Martin previously served as a Judge in Civil Court and in Criminal Court in New York. Prior to her appointment to the bench, La Tia Martin worked as General Counsel to the New York City Office of the Sheriff, as Inspector General of the New York City Department of Finance. Tax Commission, Financial Information Services Agency, and Office of Payroll, and as an Assistant District Attorney Bronx County District Attorney’s Office. La Tia Martin is admitted to practice in the First Department in New York. She obtained her BS from Boston University and her JD from Rutgers University. La Tia Martin is a member of the Association of Black Women Attorneys, the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, the Bronx County Black Bar Association, and the National Association of Women Judges.

Kings County Supreme Court

Jeffery S. Sunshine
Jeffrey S. Sunshine is an Acting Supreme Court Justice in Kings County, appointed in 2003. Previously, Jeffrey S. Sunshine served as a Judge in Kings County Family Court, as a Judge in Richmond County Supreme Court, and as a Judge in New York County Family Court. Prior to becoming a Judge, Jeffrey S. Sunshine was a partner at Sunshine & Goldberg. Jeffrey S. Sunshine is licensed to practice in New York, Massachusetts, and in the Supreme Court of the United States. Jeffrey S. Sunshine also served as President of the Brooklyn Bar Association from 1995-1996. He is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and a member of the House of Delegates of the New York State Bar. Jeffrey S. Sunshine obtained his BA from Brooklyn College and his JD from Hofstra University School of Law.

Eric I. Prus
Eric I. Prus is a Supreme Court Judge in Kings County, appointed in 2005. He previously served as a Judge in Civil Court from 1998 to 2004. He also worked as a Senior Court Attorney – Referee in Surrogate’s Court, as the Principle Law Clerk for Judge Gabriel M. Krausman, as a Law Assistant for Judge Irving W. Levine, and at Weisber, Sieven & Mamanna as the Managing Attorney. Eric I. Prus is admitted to practice in the Second Department. He obtained his JD from Brooklyn School of Law.

Rachel Adams
Rachel Adams is an Acting Supreme Court Judge in Kings County, appointed in 2007. She previously served as a Judge in Kings County Family Court, as a Judge in Richmond County Supreme Court, and as a Judge in Civil Court in the City of New York. Rachel Adams is admitted to practice in the Second Department. She obtained her JD from Brooklyn Law School. Rachel Adams served on the Law Guardian Advisory Committee of the Appellate Division for the Second Department.

Delores J. Thomas
Delores J. Thomas is a Supreme Court Judge in Kings County, appointed in 2007. She previously served as a Judge in Civil Court of the City of New York and as a Judge in Housing Court in Kings County. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Delores J. Thomas worked at Brooklyn Legal Services Corp A. as their Immigration Unit Direction, at LSSA, NOLSW, District 65, UAW as President/Organizer, at the New York City Parking Violations Bureau as an Administrative Law Judge, and at Brooklyn Legal Services Corp B. as a Senior Staff Attorney Specialist. Delores J. Thomas is admitted to practice in New York and Georgia. She obtained her B.A. from Alabama State University and her JD from the University of Georgia Law School. Delores J. Thomas is a member of the Brooklyn Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association, Judicial Friends, the National Association of Women Judges, the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Eastern Star Fraternal Society, and Church Women United.

New York County Supreme Court

Harold B. Beeler (presently not sitting in the Matrimonial Term)
Harold B. Beeler is an Acting Supreme Court Judge in New York County, appointed in 1991. He previously worked as a Law Clerk for Judge Lawrence Bernstein and at the Legal Aid Society of New York. Harold B. Beeler is admitted to practice in the First Department and in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Harold B. Beeler obtained his BA from the University of Michigan, his JD from Harvard Law School, and an LLM from New York University School of Law. Harold B. Beeler is a member of the New York County Lawyers Association and a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

Hon. Matthew F. Cooper
Matthew F. Cooper is a Supreme Court Judge in New York County, Elected in 2001. He previously worked as an adjunct professor at the City University of the City of New York and as director for the Teamsters Local 237 Legal Services. Judge Cooper was admitted to the bar in New York State in 1980, after obtaining his J.D. at the Antioch School of Law in 1979.

Laura E. Drager
Laura E. Drager is an Acting Supreme Court Judge in New York County, appointed in 2002. Previously, Laura E. Drager served as a Judge in Criminal Court. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Laura E. Drager worked at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office and at Proskauer Rose LLP. She is admitted to practice in the First Department. Laura E. Drager obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester and her JD from Columbia University School of Law.

Saralee Evans
Saralee Evans is an acting Supreme Court Judge in New York County, appointed to the bench in 2002. Previously, Saralee Evans served as a Civil Court Judge. Saralee Evans is admitted to practice in the First Department in New York. She obtained her JD from Hofstra University School of Law.

Ellen Gesmer
Ellen Gesmer is an Acting Judge in New York County. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Ellen Gesmer worked at Gulielmetti & Gesmer, P.C. as a Partner, at Teitelbaum & Hiller, P.C. as an Associate, at the Univ of Michigan Law School as a Clinical Assistant Professor, at Bedford-Stuyvesant Community Legal Services as a Director of Litigation, a Supervising Attorney, and a Staff Attorney, and for Hon. Joseph L. Tauro as a Law Clerk. Ellen Gesmer is admitted to practice in New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, and in the United States Supreme Court. She obtained her BA from Harvard College and her JD from Yale Law School. Ellen Gesmer is on the Board of Directors and serves as the Secretary of Dancing in the Streets, a member of African Affairs Committee of ABCNY, and a member of the Committee on Matrimonial and Family Law of the Women’s Bar Association.

Deborah Kaplan
Deborah Kaplan is a Judge in New York County. Previously, Deborah Kaplan worked in the Office of Court Treatment Programs as the Chief Management Analyst & Project Counsel, as the Principal Court Attorney for the Honorable Juanita Bing Newton, and for the Legal Aid Society in their Criminal Defense Division as a Senior Trial Counsel. Deborah Kaplan is admitted to practice in the First Department in New York and in the United States Supreme Court. She obtained her BA from State University of New York at Albany and her JD from St. John’s University School of Law. Deborah Kaplan is the Co-Chair of the Gender Fairness Committee of the Criminal Court of the City of New York, a Member of the New York State Committee on Women in the Courts, a Member of the New York State Committee to Establish Statewide Standards and Best Practices in Drug Courts, a Board Member of the JALBCA-Judge’s and Lawyer’s Breast Cancer Alert, and Vice-President of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York Foundation.

Rosalyn H. Richter
Rosalyn H. Richter is a Supreme Court Judge in New York County, elected to the bench in 2003. Rosalyn H. Richter previously served as a Supreme Court Judge in Bronx County and as a Judge in Criminal Court in New York. Rosalyn H. Richter also currently is an Adjunct Professor at New York Law School. Previously, she worked as an Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn Law School, as an Administrative Law Judge in the New York City Office of Administrative Trials & Hearings, as a Supervising ADA for the Brooklyn District Attorney, as Executive Director and an attorney for the Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund, and for the Law Office of Carol Lefcourt. Rosalyn H. Richter is admitted to practice in the First Department in New York. She obtained her BA from Barnard College and her JD from Brooklyn Law School. Rosalyn H. Richter is the Co-Chair of the OCA Committee on the American Disabilites Act and a member of the Council on Judicial Administration of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

Queens County Supreme Court

Pamela Jackman Brown
Judge Pamala Jackman Brown was elected to the Queens County Supreme Court in 2009. Prior to her election, she served as a judge in Housing Court in Queens County. Judge Jackman Brown received her J.D. at Queens College School of Law.

Fernando M. Camacho (IDV)
Fernando M. Camacho is a Supreme Court Judge in Queens County, appointed to the bench in 2008. He also served on the Court of Claims, as a Judge in Criminal Court in Queens County, and as a Judge in Criminal Court in Kings County. Fernando M. Camacho previously worked in private practice and in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney. Fernando M. Camacho is admitted to practice in the Second Department in New York. Fernando M. Camacho obtained his BA from Columbia College and his JD from Fordham University School of Law.

Jeffrey D. Lebowitz
Jeffrey D. Lebowitz is a Supreme Court Judge in Queens County, appointed to the bench in 2004. Jeffrey D. Lebowitz is admitted to practice in the Second Department in New York. He obtained his JD from Hofstra University School of Law.

Thomas Raffaele
Thomas Raffaele is a Supreme court judge in Queens County, admitted to the bench in 2006, where he served in the Civil Court of the City of New York, and was elected to the supreme court in 2010. Judge Raffaele received his JD at Brooklyn Law School in 1983, and was admitted to the bar that same year.

Bernice D. Siegal
Bernice D. Siegal was elected Judge of the Civil Court of New York for Queens County in 2001, and appointed Supervising Judge of the Civil Court, Queens County and designated Acting Supreme Court Justice by the Chief Administrative Judge in 2007. She also presides over summary jury trials of the Civil Term of Supreme Court. Judge Siegal is Chairwoman of the Brandeis Association, recording secretary of the QWBA and board member New York region of Nat’l Assn. of Women Judges.

Sidney F. Strauss
Sidney F. Strauss is a Supreme Court Judge in Queens County, appointed to the bench in 2002. He previously worked in private practice and for the New York City Board of Elections as an Attorney. Sidney F. Strauss is admitted to practice law in the Second Department in New York. Sidney F Strauss obtained his BA from Lafayette College and his JD from Fordham University School of Law. Sidney F. Strauss served as President of the Queens County Bar Association in 1990 and on the Committee on Character and Fitness, Second Department from 1991-2001.

Richmond County Supreme Court

Catherine M. DiDomenico (IDV)
Catherine M. DiDomenico is an acting supreme court judge in Richmond County, appointed in 2005. Before her appointment to the supreme court, she served in Family and civil court. Her previous professional experience included both private practice, as counsel to a US Representative, and a a professor of law at Fordham University. Judge DiDomenico received her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and was admitted to the New York state bar in 1989.

Barbara Panepinto
Barbara Irolla Panepinto is an acting justice of the Richmond County Supreme Court in the 13th Judicial District of New York. She was appointed to this position in 2000. She has also served on the New York City Civil Court since 1997. She earned her Juris Doctor at Brooklyn School of Law in 1984, and has been a judge in the family court system since 1986.