Date: December 8, 2003

NEW YORK - Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman today announced the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Anthony F. Marano as Administrative Judge for the Courts of Nassau County in the Tenth Judicial District. The appointment was made with the approval of Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye and in consultation with Hon. A. Gail Prudenti, the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department.

Upon making the appointment, Judge Lippman said, “Since joining the Supreme bench in Nassau County, Justice Marano has shown himself to be an innovative, energetic and forward-thinking leader. As a jurist, he has been entrusted with several oversight roles, during which time he has helped make substantial improvements in reducing pending caseloads and increasing efficiency, while also introducing new innovations to improve the delivery of justice. Justice Marano is held in high esteem by the legal community of Long Island, of which he has been a member for over 30 years, for his dedication and commitment to the profession and for his high ethical standards. I welcome Justice Marano to his new position as Administrative Judge and am confident that the courts of Nassau County will continue to flourish under his leadership.”

Justice Marano was elected to the State Supreme Court in 1999 after serving as a District Court judge for six years and after over 20 years as a private practitioner handling both criminal and civil matters in state and federal courts. On the Supreme Court bench, he has been the Supervising Judge for both matrimonial cases and guardianship proceedings, while himself maintaining a full and active caseload of these cases. During this time, Justice Marano supervised the creation of the Nassau Domestic Violence Court, as well as developing and implementing a pro bono program to match low-income litigants with volunteer lawyers in matrimonial cases. He is presently creating and implementing the first program in the state to encourage parents in high-conflict custody and visitation disputes to seek intervention from specifically trained mental health professionals before resorting to litigation. Justice Marano is a resident of Long Island and a graduate of St. John’s University School of Law.

The appointment of Justice Marano as Administrative Judge will be effective January 1, 2004, filling a position that will become vacant when the term of the current Administrative Judge, Hon. Edward G. McCabe, ends due to his reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. However, Justice McCabe will continue to preside over cases on the Supreme Court bench, having been certificated to do so for the next two years.

Judge Lippman added, “I want to thank Justice McCabe for his outstanding service as Administrative Judge for the past seven years, during which time he has been an exceptional leader for the judges and non-judicial personnel in Nassau County. Under his wise direction and capable oversight, the courts on Long Island have adeptly handled massive caseloads and have successfully instituted programs to improve public access to the courts. I am pleased to know that litigants will continue to benefit from Judge McCabe’s wealth of experience and legal knowledge, as he continues to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court bench.”