| NEW YORK - Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman
today appointed Janet DiFiore as Supervising Judge of Criminal Courts in
the Ninth Judicial District. The appointment, which takes effect immediately,
was made with the approval of Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye and in consultation
with Presiding Justice A. Gail Prudenti of the Appellate Division, Second
Department, as well as after discussions with the Administrative Judge
for Courts Outside of New York City, Joseph J. Traficanti, Jr., and
the Administrative Judge for the Ninth District, Francis A. Nicolai.
Judge Lippman said, "Judge DiFiore is preeminently qualified to supervise
the criminal courts in the Ninth District due to her experience on the
bench handling both felony and misdemeanor matters and her extensive career
in the criminal justice arena prior to becoming a judge. She has particular
legal expertise with issues of domestic violence and drug abuse, which
will be a great asset in our efforts to expand Drug Treatment Courts and
Integrated Domestic Violence Courts throughout the Ninth District. Most
importantly, Judge DiFiore has earned both the respect and admiration of
her colleagues on the bench and in the larger legal community. I welcome
Judge DiFiore to her new position and look forward to working with her
in the future."
Elected as a judge of the Westchester County Court in 1998, Judge DiFiore
has served in the County Court and the Family Court and as an Acting Justice
of the State Supreme Court. In the County Court, Judge DiFiore presides
over the Superior Court Information Part, handling felony cases, and has
handled cases in the Integrated Domestic Violence Part, which has jurisdiction
over criminal matters involving domestic violence and all family-related
matters. In the Family Court, she presides over the Juvenile Delinquency
Part. Prior to her tenure on the bench, Judge DiFiore served for 12 years
as an assistant district attorney in Westchester County, and during the
last five years there was Chief of the Narcotics Bureau. She also has had
experience in the private practice of law, handling criminal matters, civil
litigation and elder law matters, and was twice appointed as Deputy Village
Counsel in the Village of Bronxville. Judge DiFiore serves as the coordinator
for the court system's Access to Justice Initiatives for the Ninth Judicial
District, is a member of the Westchester County Criminal Justice Advisory
Board and the Westchester County Domestic Violence Council, and served
on the Chief Judge's Commission on Drugs and the Courts.
Judge DiFiore replaces Hon. Peter P. Rosato, who has stepped down from
this position to focus on his expanded responsibilities in adjudicating
tax certiorari matters and Article 81 proceedings. "Judge Rosato has served
the Ninth District superbly for the past four years as Supervising Judge
of Criminal Courts," noted Judge Lippman. "His contributions have contributed
immeasurably to the well-being of the Judiciary and the citizenry of the
Ninth District, and for this I thank him."
|
