Politics & Government

Mamaroneck Village Justice Running For Supreme Court Justice in 9th Judicial District

Part 1 of a two-part interview with Judge Christie Derrico.

Mamaroneck Village Justice Hon. Christie Derrico is a candidate for Supreme Court Justice in the 9th Judicial District of NY, which includes Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess and Orange Counties. 

Derrico—a village justice since December 2010—previously served as the Mamaroneck Village attorney from December 2009-10 and as a village trustee from January 2002 to December 2004.  She has had a private law practice in Mamaroneck since 1997.  She has a B.A. from Boston University and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. 

Derrico has been involved with the following boards and committees:
Westchester County Criminal Justice Advisory Board, the Coastal Zone Management Board, the Mayor’s Water Quality Advisory Committee, Long Island Sound Watershed Inter-Municipal Committee (LISWIC) Member, Lawyering and Parenting Committee co-chair, Westchester Women’s Bar Association and  Adult Continuing Education.

Additionally, she has been active on the Mamaroneck Avenue School (MAS) PTA; has acted as a mentor for the Rye Neck High School Senior Intern program; coached the Mamaroneck Travel Soccer Team; is a former president of the Larchmont-Mamaroneck League of Women Voters (LWV); acted as pro bono counsel for the Hispanic Resource Center (HRC) in Mamaroneck and has been a Fresh Air Fund Parent since 2011.

She lives in Mamaroneck with her husband Donald and their four children.

Derrico spoke with Patch about her potential new role as NY Supreme Court Justice. This is Part 1 of a two-part interview: 

Larchmont Patch: What motivated you to run for the Supreme Court?

Judge Christie Derrico:  I have enjoyed my time as a justice court judge so much that I welcomed the opportunity to move up to the next level. 

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Larchmont Patch: What's the role of a NY State Supreme Court Judge?

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Derrico: My election covers five counties – Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Westchester and Dutchess.  The “Supreme” court in New York is an intermediate court – above that are the appellate courts and the ultimate court in NYS is the Court of Appeals.  My role as a NYS Supreme Court Judge can take me to various geographic areas outside of Westchester and I may be presented with an array of legal matters including – family, matrimonial, criminal, land use, etc...

 

Larchmont Patch: How would your role as a Supreme Court Judge be different than your current role as village justice?

Derrico: I would have more serious cases.  Although we can arraign felonies and handle preliminary hearings in the Justice Courts, the court of ultimate jurisdiction for those matters would be Supreme.  Also, the jurisdictional limit for civil matters in the Justice Court is a max of $3,000, in Supreme it is $25,000 and above. One thing that I would miss in going to a court of higher jurisdiction is the community interaction.  On a local court level you can see successes in keeping young people out of trouble or helping people achieve sobriety or even a high school degree.  Many higher court judges who have served in Justice Courts say that it is the most rewarding level of the court system.

 

Larchmont Patch: What community do you live in?

Derrico: I live in Mamaroneck and have raised my children here.  Although I was born in Staten Island and have extended family there, I was raised in New Jersey.  I am admitted to the bar in both New Jersey and New York.



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