Judges of New York's Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals, New York State's highest court,is composed of a Chief Judge and six Associate Judges, each appointed to a 14-year term. New York's highest appellate court was established to articulate statewide principles of law in the context of deciding particular lawsuits.

Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye

Judith S. Kaye, Chief Judge of the State of New York, was born in Monticello, NY, in 1938. She was appointed by Governor Mario M. Cuomo on Feb. 22, 1993, confirmed by the State Senate on March 17, and sworn in on March 23, 1993. She is the first woman to occupy the State Judiciary's highest office. She became the first woman to serve on New York State's highest court when Governor Cuomo appointed her Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals on Sept. 12, 1983.

Hon. George Bundy Smith

George Bundy Smith, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, was born in New Orleans, LA, in 1937. G He was an Associate Justice of the State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department from January 1987 to September 1992, when Governor Mario M. Cuomo appointed him to the Court of Appeals. He was confirmed by the State Senate, September 24, 1992. 

Hon. Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick

Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, was born in New York City in 1942. . In 1978, she was appointed Judge of the New York City Criminal Court and, in 1982, was elected to the New York State Supreme Court. She was appointed to the Court of Appeals on December 1, 1993 by Governor Mario M. Cuomo, confirmed by the State Senate and sworn in on January 4, 1994. She and her husband, Joseph Damian Ciparick, have one daughter.

Hon. Albert M. Rosenblatt

Albert M. Rosenblatt, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, was born in New York City in 1936, the son of Fannie (Dachs) Rosenblatt and Isaac Rosenblatt. Dutchess County Judge, 1976-1981; Supreme Court Justice, 1982-1987. New York State's Chief Administrative Judge, 1987-1989. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, 1989-1998. After Governor Pataki nominated him to serve on the Court of Appeals, he was confirmed by the Senate on December 17, 1998.

Hon. Victoria A. Graffeo

Victoria A. Graffeo, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, was born in Rockville Centre, New York in 1952. Appointed by Governor George E. Pataki and confirmed by the State Senate to fill a vacancy in the State Supreme Court, Third Judicial District, in September, 1996. She was elected that November to a full term as Justice of the State Supreme Court and in March, 1998 was named Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Third Department. Her appointment to the Court of Appeals by Governor George E. Pataki was confirmed by the State Senate on November 29, 2000.

Hon. Susan P. Read

Susan Phillips Read, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, was born in Gallipolis, Ohio, in 1947. Judge, New York State Court of Claims, confirmed for an unexpired term on April 30, 1998 and for a full term on June 2, 1999; designated Presiding Judge of the New York State Court of Claims, June 2, 1999; interim appointment as Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, January 6, 2003; confirmed as Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, January 22, 2003.

Hon. Robert S. Smith

Robert S. Smith, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, was born in New York, New York in August 1944, and grew up in Massachusetts and Connecticut. On June 1, 2003, he became an individual practitioner and Special Counsel to the firm of Kornstein Veisz Wexler & Pollard. On November 4, 2003 he was appointed by Governor George E. Pataki to the Court of Appeals. The appointment was confirmed by the State Senate on January 12, 2004.