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Mayor de Blasio Appoints Judges to Family and Civil Court

July 9, 2015

NEW YORK—Mayor de Blasio today appointed Judge Diane Costanzo as a Family Court judge, and Judge Judith Waksberg as an interim Civil Court judge.

As part of Family Court, Judge Costanzo will hear cases related to adoption, foster care and guardianship, custody and visitation, domestic violence, and abused or neglected children. Family Court judges are appointed to ten-year terms.

As an interim Civil Court judge, Judge Waksberg will be assigned to the Family Court and serve a one-year interim term.

“Judge Costanzo and Judge Waksberg both maintain a fierce commitment to fighting for justice and fairness for all. Each bring a wealth of experience and dedication to this new position, and I’m confident that they will be compassionate and unflagging advocates for New Yorkers in all five boroughs,” said Mayor de Blasio.

The Mayor swore in the following judges:

Judge Diane Costanzo, most recently served as the Principal Court Attorney to Hon. Patricia Henry of the Kings County Supreme Court. She has previously served as a Family Court Referee, as well as Executive Assistant to the Administrative Judge and a court attorney for Family Court. Prior to her work in the New York State Court System, Judge Costanzo was a staff attorney in the Criminal Defense Division of the Legal Aid Society. She also worked as Assistant Department Advocate for the New York City Police Department. Judge Costanzo is a member of the Family Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association. She completed her bachelor’s degree at LaSalle University, and received her J.D. from Catholic University.

Judge Judith Waksberg, has over three decades of experience working with the non-profit Legal Aid Society, where she has spent the whole of her legal career. For the past 17 years, she has served as Director of the Juvenile Rights Appeals Unit. Judge Waksberg began at the Legal Aid Society as a staff attorney in the Criminal Appeals Bureau and the Juvenile Rights Appeals Unit, before becoming Acting Director of the Juvenile Rights Appeals Unit. She was appointed Director of the Unit in 1998. From 2000 to 2001, she also served as Director of the Juvenile Rights Special Litigation Unit. Judge Waksberg is a board member of the National Association of Counsel for Children. She graduated summa cum laude from Brandeis University and received her J.D. from New York University School of Law. 

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