Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed three judges to the New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. These appointees are distinguished by their extensive legal experience and diverse backgrounds, reflecting the Governor’s dedication to a judiciary that represents New York’s diverse population. The newly appointed judges bring decades of expertise and a deep commitment to upholding justice in the state’s courts.
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced three appointments to the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division Second Judicial Department. This class is comprised of highly skilled appointees who come from diverse personal and professional backgrounds, underscoring Governor Hochul’s commitment to ensuring New York State’s judiciary mirrors the wide array of people who call New York home.
“Our courts must be led by qualified, fair and impartial jurists,” Governor Hochul said. “With decades of legal experience and deep knowledge of the law, these three judges will be tremendous additions to the appellate division.”
The appointments include:
Hon. Donna Marie Golia
Hon. Donna-Marie E. Golia was appointed as Administrative Judge for Criminal Matters, State Supreme Court, Queens County. Judge Golia joined the New York State bench in 2013, upon her election to the New York City Civil Court, Queens County. Initially assigned to the New York City Criminal Court, Queens County, she later sat on the bench in Civil Court, Queens County. She was designated an Acting Supreme Court Justice in 2016, handling matrimonial and other matters in addition to managing a Civil Court calendar.
From 2018 to 2019, she served as Supervising Judge, New York City Civil Court, Queens County, working with the Administrative Judge in overseeing the Court’s day-to-day management. Judge Golia was elected to the State Supreme Court, Queens County, in 2020, serving in both the Court’s Civil and Criminal Terms. In January 2021, she was appointed an Associate Justice of the Appellate Term, Second Department for the Second, Eleventh and Thirteenth Judicial Districts, hearing appeals from the lower civil and criminal courts in Kings, Queens and Richmond counties, in addition to presiding over matters in State Supreme Court, Queens County.
Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Golia served as a court attorney referee and before that as a principal law clerk in Surrogate’s Court, Queens County. Previously, she worked as an assistant district attorney in the Queens County District Attorney’s Office where, over the course of her 11-year tenure, she served in various bureaus, including the Office’s Homicide Investigations, Narcotics Trial, Appeals and Special Victims bureaus. Judge Golia is a graduate of City University of New York Law School at Queens College. Among her professional associations, she is a member of the Queens County Women’s Bar Association and the Columbian Lawyers Association, and an advisory board member and co-chair of the membership committee of the Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert (JALBCA). She has developed and presented judicial and other training programs on ADR and other topics.
Hon. Phillip Hom
Justice Phillip Hom was elected to the Queens Civil Court in 2017 and to the New York State Supreme Court in 2019. He is a native New Yorker and a proud product of New York’s public schools, graduating from the Bronx High School of Science and SUNY-Binghamton with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Justice Hom received a JD, cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School. While in law school, he worked as a law clerk at the Hennepin County Public Defender’s office.
Justice Hom returned to New York after law school working in private practice and the public sector in all three branches of government. He started his legal career at a New York law firm specializing in commercial litigation. In 1997, he began his government service as an agency attorney for the New York City Department of Social Services, where he prosecuted civil claims for the recovery of public assistance and Medicaid.
In 2002, Justice Hom became the Chief of Staff for the first Asian American elected to the New York City Council, supervising the Council Member’s staff and managing the office budget. He was also the liaison to other elected officials’ offices and advised the Council Member and staff on legal matters. In 2003, he became counsel to the New York City Council’s Transportation Committee where he wrote local laws and policy reports related to transportation, mass transit and for-hire vehicles. He also helped conduct oversight hearings of the New York City Department of Transportation and Taxi and Limousine Commission. In 2010, he was promoted to assistant director of the Council’s legislative unit, where he supervised staff preparing legislation, policy reports and conducting oversight hearings. After the City Council, Justice Hom worked as Deputy General Counsel in the New York City Comptroller’s office.
Before becoming a judge, Justice Hom returned to private practice, working at a law firm advising transportation, technology, banking, municipal and other clients on regulatory, legislative, employment and other matters. At the firm, he also represented clients in adjudications before the New York State Department of Labor, New York State Department of Transportation, the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings and the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission Administrative Tribunal.
Hon. James McCormack
Justice McCormack serves as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Term for the Ninth and Tenth – Second Department. He was elected in the general election on November 15, 2015.
Judge McCormack received his Bachelor’s degree from New York University in 1982 and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 1985. After law school McCormack worked as an assistant district attorney in Nassau County until 1998. He worked as a private practice attorney at McCormack & McCormack from 1990 to 2005. In 2006, he was elected to the Nassau County Court. He was acting Justice on the Supreme Court 10th Judicial District from 2007 to 2015.
Under the New York State Constitution and Judiciary Law, the Governor has the authority to appoint Justices to each Appellate Division from among those who have been elected as Justices of the Supreme Court. These appointments are not subject to Senate confirmation.
August 14 2024 Albany New York
Sources: Midtown Tribune news, NY.gov
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