De Blasio appoints 26 judges, including many KCCBA members

January 5, 2016 By Rob Abruzzese Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Hon. Ruth Shillingford (left) and Hon. Miriam Cyrulnik (right) are two of the 26 judges who were officially appointed to the bench by Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday. Eagle photo by Rob Abruzzese

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Mayor Bill de Blasio officially appointed 26 judges to the bench in New York City on Monday including 15 reappointments and 11 new appointments, nine of which are expected to serve Brooklyn.

“New Yorkers deserve impartial, compassionate and qualified judges in court,” de Blasio said. “Today, I welcome back 15 judges and 11 new appointments, each of whom will represent the best interest of New Yorkers and our communities. With these strong additions to our judicial system, I am confident that the people of this city will find fair and effective judicial oversight of our courts.”

The judges from Brooklyn include three reappointed to the Criminal Court: Hon. Miriam Cyrulnik, Hon. Ruth Shillingford and Hon. Matthew Sciarrino Jr.; five newly appointed to the Criminal Court: Hon. Heidi Cesare, Hon. Marguerite Dougherty, Hon. Karen Gopee, Hon. Laura Johnson and Joanne Watters; and Hon. Dean Kusakabe, who was reappointed to the Family Court.

Judges Shillingford and Cyrulnik are both members of the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association. Cyrulnik, who is an executive board member of the Kings County Criminal Bar Association (KCCBA), as well as Cesare, Dougherty, Watters and Sciarrino Jr, are KCCBA members.

“Mayor de Blasio could not have chosen a better group of judges for the Criminal Court,” said Michael Farkas president of the KCCBA. “These appointments make apparent his administration’s careful selection of only the best jurists to serve the people of our city.”

A special ceremony was held outside of City Hall on Monday to swear in Judges Gopee and Dougherty.

Other judges officially appointed Monday include Hon. Tracey Bing, Hon. Margaret Morgan, Hon. Javier Vargas, Hon. Karen Lupuloff, Hon. Althea Drysdale, Hon. Donald Leo, Hon. Elizabeth N. Warin, Hon. Joanne Watters, Hon. Diane Costanzo, Hon. Karen Wolff, Hon. Judith Waksberg, Hon. James Griffin, Hon. Steven Hornstein, Hon. Nicholas Iacovetta, Hon. Elisa Koenderman, Hon. John Latella Jr., Hon. Michael Obus and Hon. Eugene Oliver Jr.