NEW YORK, NY (August 30, 2022) — For the 99th time since she was sworn in as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York, DeFiore issued a “Monday message”, typically on the latest developments affecting our courts and the justice system, but this time to summarize her accomplishments and say thank you and goodbye.
The chief judge of the Court of Appeals serves a 14-year term. DeFiore announced her retirement on July 11, effective August 31, after just six years.
DeFiore cited her Excellence Initiative, announced when she was sworn in as Chief Judge as the defining program of her tenure which, she said, transformed the court system’s organizational culture by proactively moving dockets, prioritizing resolution of the oldest cases, referring cases for early settlement and meeting the “standards and goals” used as the court system’s performance measurement standard.
DeFiore led the court system during the pandemic which, she said, required transforming our massive, in-person operating model into an effective virtual model that provided safe and efficient access to justice during the pandemic and resulted in a new hybrid operating model that supported our safe and timely return to full-scale operations.
Public Service Record:
- Sworn in as Chief Judge on February 8, 2016
- Confirmed by the New York State Senate on January 21, 2016
- Appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on December 1, 2015
- Westchester County District Attorney from 2006 to 2016
- Assistant District Attorney and Chief of the Narcotics Bureau in Westchester County
- New York State Supreme Court Justice from 2003 to 2005 (Supervising Judge of the Criminal Courts for the Ninth Judicial District)
- Judge in Westchester County Court from 1999 to 2002
- Deputy Village Counsel for the Village of Bronxville
- Born in Mount Vernon, New York, and graduated from Long Island University and St. John’s University School of Law
Excellence Initiative:
- Enhancing training to improve case management skills
- Overhauling and modernizing case management systems
- Integrating early presumptive ADR into case processing structure
- Expanding access to civil legal services for individuals of modest means
- Appointing and empowering a strong leadership team of Administrative Judges
- Supervising Judges and court managers
DeFiore will be succeeded by Acting Chief Judge Anthony Cannataro until a new Chief Judge is confirmed.
What they are saying:
Chief Judge Janet DeFiore: “And now, as I get ready to turn the page leading into the next chapter of my professional life, I am, as you would expect, feeling the cross-current of lots of conflicting emotions: the excitement and anticipation of what lies ahead, of course, as well as the bittersweetness of saying goodbye to colleagues and friends with whom I have shared the highs and lows of what has been, by far, the most rewarding and satisfying assignment of my professional life, a position of enormous public trust and responsibility to which I have unhesitatingly devoted every fiber of my being, and every ounce of energy and passion I possess.
“As Chief Judge, I set out to bring operational and decisional excellence to the New York State courts while leading the Court of Appeals in developing a strong, predictable body of law to guide our communities, our economy, and the lives of our citizenry.
“As I move on to the next chapter, I take great pride and satisfaction in knowing that, together, we have made incredible progress toward achieving those goals.
Finally, to each and every one of you who has represented and supported our court system during my tenure, please know that you have my deepest respect and admiration, and, above all, my undying gratitude for your dedication and commitment to the New York State courts and the people we serve. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with you.”
Go deeper
- Watch video of August 29 message here
- Read transcript of August 29 message here
- Read DiFiore bio here
- Read impact analysis here.
- Read New York Times interview here.
