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Mayor de Blasio Reappoints Seven Judges to City's Criminal, Family and Civil Courts

December 31, 2014

NEW YORK—Mayor de Blasio today reappointed seven judges to New York City’s Civil, Criminal and Family Courts. The Mayor reappointed three judges to Criminal Court and two judges to Family Court. The Mayor also appointed two judges to Interim Civil Court seats for one year:  the Honorable Tracey Bing will remain assigned to the family court, and the Honorable Laura Johnson will remain assigned to the criminal court.

“Every New Yorker deserves access to a fair and impartial trial—no matter what neighborhood they live in or what community they come from. New York City’s judges are a critical cornerstone of the justice system, representing our pledge to provide due process for every resident in our city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These seven reappointments signal our administration’s commitment to place qualified and honest judges on the bench who share our determination to continue building a stronger and more effective justice system.”

The Mayor reappointed the following judges:

Criminal Court

Honorable Bruna DiBiase received her undergraduate degree from Queens College and her law degree from Hofstra University School of Law. She has worked for the Legal Aid Society and as a solo practitioner for almost 14 years. Judge DiBiase has also served in various capacities with the New York State Unified Court System, including as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Policy and Planning. She was appointed to the Criminal Court in December 2013 and assigned to Criminal Court in Manhattan. She currently resides in Queens.

Honorable George Grasso received his undergraduate degree from York College and his law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. Judge Grasso served with the New York City Police Department for almost 30 years, having started as a patrol officer while attending law school. He quickly rose through the ranks within various offices and served as Deputy Commissioner for Legal Matters and last served as First Deputy Police Commissioner. Judge Grasso was appointed as a Criminal Court Judge in January 2010, and became Supervising Judge of Arraignments for New York City Criminal Courts in 2012. He currently resides in Queens.

Honorable Laurie Peterson graduated from Brandeis University and received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law. She served with the Legal Aid Society as a Supervising Attorney, worked for Queens Law Associates, and was a Principal Court Attorney to a Supervising Judge of the Criminal Court. Judge Peterson was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2013 and reappointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2014, and she has been serving in Criminal Court. She currently resides in Queens.

Family Court

Honorable Adetokunbo Fasanya graduated from the University of Ife in Nigeria and from the Nigerian Law School. Prior to his appointment, he served with the New York City Child Welfare Administration and was in private practice for 14 years specializing in several areas including family law. Judge Fasanya was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in October 2013 and was reappointed in January 2014, and he has been serving in Family Court. He currently resides in Queens.

Honorable Erik Pitchal graduated from Brown University and received his law degree from Yale Law School. Prior to his appointment, he served with the Legal Aid Society in the Juvenile Rights Division, worked for Children’s Rights, and was the Director of the Child Advocacy Clinic at Suffolk University Law School. He was also a consultant in child welfare and juvenile justice. Judge Pitchal was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2013 and reappointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2014. He has been serving in Family Court in the Bronx. He currently resides in Brooklyn.

Civil Court

Honorable Tracey Bing graduated from S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook and C.U.N.Y. School of Law. She has served with Harlem Legal Services, the Legal Aid Society, and as Director of the Family Law/Domestic Violence Unit of Manhattan Legal Services. Judge Bing was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in October 2013 to serve in Family Court, and was reappointed in January 2014. She currently resides in the Bronx.

Honorable Laura Johnson received her undergraduate degree from Barnard College and her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law. Prior to her appointment, she served with the New York County District Attorney’s Office and the Legal Aid Society, including as Attorney-in-Charge of the Criminal Appeals Bureau. She also served as an Assistant Solicitor General, and clerked for the Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals. Judge Johnson was appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2013 and reappointed in January 2014, and has been serving in Criminal Court. She currently resides in Brooklyn.

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