--- title: "Joan B. Lefkowitz | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/joan-b-lefkowitz-ny-trial-7a693cc9" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Joan B. Lefkowitz Westchester County Supreme Court · Justice ## Profile - Court: Westchester County Supreme Court - State: New York - Role: Justice - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-27 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Justice, Supreme Court, Westchester County, Elected 1991 to Present - Justice, New York Supreme Court, Westchester County, NY, 1991-2032 - Judge, Family Court, Westchester County, NY, 1987-1990 - Joan B. Lefkowitz (Ret.) is a trailblazer in the New York legal community, recognized for 41 years of judicial service and now serving as Chair of Mediation Practice at Lachtman Cohen & Belowich LLP - Specialized roles: Supervising Judge for Fiduciary & Guardianship Matters; presided over the Medical Malpractice Conference Part; pioneered the Settlement Conference Part in Westchester Supreme Court, a model for judicial efficiency ### Education - Brooklyn Law School — J.D. (1973) ### Additional information - adj-prof, Pace University-New York, NY, 1985-1987 - Law Assistant, Civil Court of the City of New York, NY, 1974-1975 - with honors — New York University — 1970 - Date of birth: 1949-06-28 - Current court assignment: Supreme Court, Westchester County - Known for fairness, pragmatism, and dispute resolution skill. - Post-retirement, she leads mediation services at Lachtman Cohen & Belowich LLP in White Plains, NY, applying her decades of judicial experience to help parties reach practical, lasting resolutions - She mentored numerous law students and interns, and has been active in bar and community organizations, including the New York State Bar Association, Westchester County Bar Association, and Justice Brandeis Law Society - Birth place: Manhattan, New York City, NY ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### recording and photography Scope: statewide New York statewide rules require permission before photographing, filming, videotaping, audiotaping, broadcasting, or telecasting in court facilities, including courtrooms. Evidence excerpt: 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 obtained [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### evidence presentation control Scope: 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. Evidence excerpt: 1.07. COURT CONTROL OVER PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE [Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role](https://www.nycourts.gov/judges/evidence/1-GENERAL/1-generalprovisions.shtml) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=2leQZHPD4sTj6LZ8aM9L0A%3D%3D) - [Official roster](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=2leQZHPD4sTj6LZ8aM9L0A%3D%3D) - [New York State Unified Court System official judicial roster](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=2leQZHPD4sTj6LZ8aM9L0A%3D%3D) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/14865/joan-b-lefkowitz/) - [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true) - [Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role](https://www.nycourts.gov/judges/evidence/1-GENERAL/1-generalprovisions.shtml) - [New York State Unified Court System judicial profile or roster](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=2leQZHPD4sTj6LZ8aM9L0A%3D%3D) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/14865/joan-b-lefkowitz/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/joan-b-lefkowitz-ny-trial-7a693cc9", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/joan-b-lefkowitz-ny-trial-7a693cc9", "name": "Joan B. Lefkowitz | KnowJudges", "description": "Joan B. Lefkowitz, Westchester County Supreme Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-07", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/joan-b-lefkowitz-ny-trial-7a693cc9#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/joan-b-lefkowitz-ny-trial-7a693cc9#judge", "name": "Joan B. Lefkowitz", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/joan-b-lefkowitz-ny-trial-7a693cc9", "jobTitle": "Justice", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "Westchester County Supreme Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/judicialdirectory/Bio?judge_id=2leQZHPD4sTj6LZ8aM9L0A%3D%3D", "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/14865/joan-b-lefkowitz/" ], "birthDate": "1949-06-28", "birthPlace": "Manhattan, New York City, NY", "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "New York University" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Brooklyn Law School" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "New York", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/new-york" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joan B. Lefkowitz", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/joan-b-lefkowitz-ny-trial-7a693cc9" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [22 NYCRR Part 200 — Uniform Rules Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/ny-shared-set-5e0f997e8c334d15fbc4) — State criminal proceedings only; section-specific court and case exceptions remain applicable. [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-200-uniform-rules-courts-exercising-criminal-jurisdiction). Collected 2026-10-27. - [22 NYCRR Part 202 — Uniform Civil Rules Supreme Court And County Court](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/ny-shared-set-bf1c7eb9020e52eed65d) — Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable. [Official source](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-202-uniform-civil-rules-supreme-court-and-county-court). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-99a7824bb8e009643f842c03) — 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](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true). Collected 2026-07-26. - [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-34fe480ab82f22fa3c31d257) — 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](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true). Collected 2026-07-26.