Esther M. Morgenstern at a glance
- Current role
- Justice
- Current assignment
- Supreme Court, Kings County, Integrated Domestic Violence Court
- Jurisdiction
- New York · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Esther M. Morgenstern
Justice · Supreme Court, Kings County, Integrated Domestic Violence Court
Biography
Professional career
- Justice, Supreme Court, Kings County, Integrated Domestic Violence Court, New York, NY, 2007-present
- Justice, New York Supreme Court, Kings County, New York, NY, 2020-2033
- Justice Morgenstern announced her retirement in October 2023, marking 28 years on the bench and over a decade as a principal law clerk
- Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, 2nd Judicial District (Kings County), serving from 2006 until her retirement in December 2023
- Justice, New York Supreme Court, Kings County, New York, NY, 2006-2019
- Justice, Supreme Court, Kings County, Integrated Domestic Violence Court, New York, NY, 2004-2006
- Acting Justice, Supreme Court, Queens County Integrated Domestic Violence Court, New York, NY, 2004-2006
- Acting Justice, New York Supreme Court, Queens County, New York, NY, 2002-2005
- She held the role of Acting Justice for the Queens County Supreme Court (2002–2005) and Kings County Family Court (2002–2004).
- Judge, Civil Court of the City of New York, New York, NY, 1996-2005
- Acting Justice, Supreme Court, Family Court, Kings County, New York, NY, 2002-2003
- Judge, Criminal Court of the City of New York, New York, NY, 1996-2002
- Began her judicial career in 1996 as an elected judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, later assigned to the Criminal Court
- Law Clerk, NYS Unified Court System, NY, 1990-1995
- Associate Law Assistant to Acting Justice, NYS Unified Court System, NY, 1988-1990
- Senior Law Assistant to Acting Justice, NYS Unified Court System, NY, 1987-1988
- Law Assistant to Acting Justice, NYS Unified Court System, 1986-1987
- Esther M. Morgensternis a New York State Supreme Court Justice, presiding over the Kings County Integrated Domestic Violence Court
- She expressed gratitude for her service and indicated plans to continue advocating for justice in her next endeavors
Education
- Yeshiva University — J.D. (1984)
- Cardozo School of Law in — J.D. (1984)
- Brooklyn Law School — B.A. (1980)
- Brooklyn College of the City University of New York in — B.A. (1980)
- B.A. — University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.
Additional information
- From 2006 onward, she presided over the Kings County Integrated Domestic Violence (IDV) Court, a role in which she developed the model and protocol for integrated domestic violence courts across New York.
- In 2003, she was appointed to the Queens County Integrated Domestic Violence Court, and in 2006 she was elected to the Kings County Supreme Court
- Practitioner, Yisraeli and Yerushalmi, 1985-1986
- Law Assistant, Torras Greenberg, 1984-1985
- Collaboration: Worked closely with agencies such as the NYC Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence, Brooklyn Family Justice Center, and legal/social service providers
- This “one family–one judge” model consolidated criminal, family, and matrimonial matters involving domestic violence under a single judge, reducing court appearances, improving consistency, and enhancing offender accountability
- National Recognition: The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women designated the Kings County IDV Court a National Mentor Court, enabling the sharing of best practices nationwide and internationally
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
New York statewide rules require permission before photographing, filming, videotaping, audiotaping, broadcasting, or telecasting in court facilities, including courtrooms.
Taking photographs, films or videotapes, or audiotaping, broadcasting or telecasting, in a courthouse including any courtroom, office or hallway thereof, at any time or on any occasion, whether or not the court is in session, is forbidden, unless permission of the Chief Administrator of the Courts or a designee of the Chief Administrator is first obtainedPart 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings ↗
Exhibits
Statewide
The official Guide to New York Evidence identifies court control over presentation of evidence as a statewide evidence topic; counsel should expect the assigned judge to control the mode and order of proof.
1.07. COURT CONTROL OVER PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCEGuide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
22 NYCRR Part 200 — Uniform Rules Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction
Kings County Supreme Court
State criminal proceedings only; section-specific court and case exceptions remain applicable.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-2722 NYCRR Part 202 — Uniform Civil Rules Supreme Court And County Court
Kings County Supreme Court
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings
Kings County Supreme Court
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings
Kings County Supreme Court
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked June 30, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Supreme Court, Kings County, Integrated Domestic Violence Court current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View Supreme Court, Kings County, Integrated Domestic Violence Court current judicial profile ↗Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings ↗Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role ↗