Hon. Paula L. Feroleto was elected to the New York State Supreme Court in 2004. In September of 2009 she was appointed as Administrative Judge of the Eighth Judicial District and continues to serve in that capacity in addition to handling her Supreme Court civil caseload. The Eighth Judicial District includes the Western New York counties of Allegany, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming Counties. It is one of the largest in the State of New York containing 11 City Courts and 197 Town and Village Courts.

Justice Feroleto has continued the tradition of the Eighth Judicial District in implementing innovative programs which assist the public’s access to the courts including an extensive array of problem solving courts. These include Integrated Domestic Violence Courts in seven of the eight counties, Mental Health Courts, Felony DWI Courts, Sex Offender Courts and a Veteran’s Court which has become a nationally recognized model. The Eighth Judicial District’s Court Help Center is the only office of its type outside of the New York City area. She also has been a long standing member of the Eighth Judicial District’s Pro Bono Committee working especially with attorneys in Chautauqua County for increased pro bono representation during her two years assigned to that county.

She is a graduate of Georgetown University and earned her J.D. at the State University of New York at Buffalo. In 1991 she became the first female partner in the Buffalo law firm of Brown & Kelly, LLP where she acted as coordinator for the firm’s involvement in Erie County’s Volunteer Lawyer’s Project, winning an award from VLP in 1999 for the firm’s substantial contributions to the program.

Justice Feroleto was the President of the State Supreme Court Justices Association of the Eighth Judicial District in 2009. She was the recipient of the Women Lawyers of Western New York Lawyer of the Year award in 2006 and is a past President of the Western New York Trial Lawyers Association. She has held office with the Western New York Trial Lawyers Association, the Bar Association of Erie County and the SUNY at Buffalo Law Alumni Association. She has for many years been a tutor with Lawyers for Learning at School 18 and has served on the School Board and Home School Association of her children’s school. She continues to serve as parish trustee at St. Rose of Lima in North Buffalo.

Justice Feroleto and her husband, John, reside in Buffalo, New York. All 3 of their children are either practicing law or in law school.

Information about Judge Feroleto is also available on the Judicial Directory.