Record number of Suffolk Judges take Oath of Office

Posted 1/23/25

On Monday, January 13, eighteen judges in Suffolk County were sworn into office after their elections this Fall in a robing ceremony at the Van Nostrand Theatre of the Suffolk County Community …

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Record number of Suffolk Judges take Oath of Office

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On Monday, January 13, eighteen judges in Suffolk County were sworn into office after their elections this Fall in a robing ceremony at the Van Nostrand Theatre of the Suffolk County Community College. Hosted by the Suffolk County Bar Association, the morning’s ceremony featured a special celebration for each judge who is joining the bench in the Supreme Court, County Court, Family Court, or District Court, or who was re-elected to one of the same. The college’s packed theater house was filled with supporters of the eighteen jurists, including relatives and friends, attorneys, local dignitaries, and even leaders of New York’s statewide court system. More than fifty of Suffolk’s judges—all donning their traditional black robes—were on hand to welcome their new colleagues and they were privileged to be joined in their ranks by Hon. Joseph A. Zayas, New York’s Chief Administrative Judge, and Hon. Norman St. George, New York’s First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge.

The morning’s ceremony became a marathon of praise and applause as each of the eighteen judges—a record number in Suffolk’s history—were individually honored by sponsors and family members. District Administrative Judge Hon. Andrew A. Crecca, himself one of the celebrated eighteen after he was re-elected in November to another term as a Justice of the Supreme Court, presided over the ceremony. “Today is a great celebration of all that these individuals have accomplished in their distinguished careers and all that they will contribute while serving on the bench for the people of Suffolk County,” Justice Crecca said during opening remarks. Throughout the morning, Justice Crecca and Patrick McCormick, Esq., President of the Suffolk County Bar Association, together introduced each of the other seventeen judges and presented them with their new black robes or ceremonial gavels for those who were re-elected.

Chief Administrative Judge Zayas administered the oath of office for District Administrative Judge Crecca and newly elected County Court Judge, Hon. Peter R. McGreevy. Beforehand, however, the Chief Administrative Judge addressed his colleagues: “To our brand-new judges, welcome to the best job in the world. We judges are blessed with an amazing vocation, where we actually are tasked with deciding what justice is and how are we going to dispense with it in every single case,” he said to the freshly robed jurists. “It is one of the highest callings in all professions,” Judge Zayas declared.

Distinguished guests in addition to Chief Administrative Judge Zayas and First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge St. George were Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine, District Executive Warren G. Clark, Esq., Chief of Court Security David Santiago, and many other prominent members of the local legal community, who were all on hand in support of their judicial contemporaries. Each elected judge brought with them their rich and diverse stories, such as the heartfelt moment when highly renowned Hon. Melvyn Tanenbaum, Justice of the Supreme Court (Ret.), boasted immense vigor and pride at 89 years of age while sponsoring his son, newly-elected District Court Judge Hon. Evan S. Tanenbaum. Equally touching was the patriotic scene outside where a detachment from the Central Islip Fire Department displayed an enormous American flag between the ladders of two engines to honor their fellow firefighter, Hon. Philip Goglas, who was re-elected to the County Court.

All elected judges were introduced by an individual sponsor, often family relative or former colleague, and each then offered brief remarks to the audience prior to taking their formal oath of office. The eighteen celebrated judges who were sworn into office on Monday were:

Supreme Court

Hon. Andrew A. Crecca, of Hauppauge, was re-elected a Justice of the Supreme Court;

Hon. Alfred C. Graf, of Holbrook, was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court;

Hon. Paul E. Hennings, of St. James, was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court;

Hon. Paul M. Hensley, of East Northport, was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court;

Hon. James F. Matthews, Jr., of Northport, was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court;

Hon. Deanna D. Panico, of Center Moriches, was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court; County Court

Hon. Philip Goglas, of Central Islip, was re-elected a County Court Judge;

Hon. Peter R. McGreevy, of Mattituck, was elected a County Court Judge; Family Court

Hon. Stuart P. Besen, of East Northport, was elected a Family Court Judge;

Hon. Christopher C. Brocato, of Sound Beach, was elected a Family Court Judge;

Hon. Carl J. Copertino, of Deer Park, was elected a Family Court Judge;

District Court

Hon. Patricia M. Blake, of East Moriches, was elected a District Court Judge;

Hon. Paul L. Damato, of St. James, was elected a District Court Judge;

Hon. Kenneth J. Lauri, of Port Jefferson, was elected a District Court Judge;

Hon. James A. McDonaugh, of Lindenhurst, was re-elected a District Court Judge;

Hon. Eric A. Sachs, of Melville, was re-elected a District Court Judge;

Hon. Evan S. Tanenbaum, of Port Jefferson, was elected a District Court Judge; and

Hon. John B. Zollo, of Smithtown, was elected a District Court Judge.

This year’s robing ceremony commenced with a presentation of colors by the New York Courts Ceremonial Guard, and newly-elected District Court Judge Hon. John B. Zollo sang a robust rendition of the National Anthem. “I have been honored to work with such a great group of judges who support me and inspire every single day,” District Administrative Judge Crecca to his fellow jurists. He added, “Under the tremendous vision of our leadership team at the Office of Court Administration has enabled us to fulfill our core mission of serving the public and administrating justice fairly and efficiently. I am confident that the judges sworn-in today will be valuable additions to the Suffolk County bench and I look forward to working with you all.” 

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