Chief Judge Janet DiFiore Stepping Down

Chief Judge Janet DiFiore Stepping Down

7.11.2022

By Susan DeSantis and Brandon Vogel

In a letter to colleagues today, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore announced she is stepping down as the Chief Judge of the State of New York on Aug. 31.

“Serving as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York has been a high honor and the greatest privilege of my professional life,” wrote DiFiore. “It is time for me to move on to the next chapter of my life.”

Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement:

“Over the past six years, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore has led New York’s Court of Appeals with strength and conviction, guiding the state’s judiciary through a tumultuous period that included the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. As public trust in government sank to an all-time low, she ensured that the state court system maintained high standards of integrity and service. Judge DiFiore has worked diligently to reveal and address longstanding inequities, injustices, and racial bias throughout the court system, refusing to shy away from tackling difficult and controversial issues. I thank Judge DiFiore for her service and wish her the best of luck as she enters this new chapter of her life.”

DiFiore received the New York State Bar Association’s highest honor the Gold Medal, in 2019.

“Excellence is a mindset, one that is now fully integrated into the fabric of the New York State courts, leaving us well -prepared to meet the future justice needs of every lawyer, litigant and court user who comes to our courthouses seeking fair, timely and effective justice services,” concluded DiFiore.