Gov. Hochul appoints new judges to Brooklyn, Albany appellate courts

Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed two new justices to state appellate courts based in Brooklyn and Albany on Jan. 16.

Justice Lisa Ottley was appointed to as an “additional justice” of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Second Department based in Brooklyn. Justice Christina Ryba as an additional justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Third Department, based in Albany.

“Today, I’m strengthening New York’s Appellate Courts by announcing the designations of two women whose legal expertise, judicial temperament and commitment to justice will ensure New York’s laws are applied fairly and correctly,” Hochul said.

The state constitution allows the governor to expand the number of justices in each division of the appellate court to include additional justices in order to handle the increased workload.

Ottley serves as an associate justice of the Appellate Term, Second Department since her appointment in 2023. Ottley was first elected to Brooklyn Civil Court in 2008, and was appointed the supervising judge of that court in 2010, becoming the first Black judge to hold the post. Before joining the Appellate Term, Ottley heard guardianship matters, and presided over jury and bench trials.

A graduate of Temple University School of Law, Ottley serves on the Guardianship Advisory Committee lectures at the Judicial Institute.

Ryba is also a judicial trailblazer — in 2015, became the first Black person ever elected to the state Supreme Court within the Third Department. And with the announcement, she becomes the first Black justice elected from the Third Department to serve on the Appellate Division.

Ryba was first elected to serve as a state Supreme Court in the Third Judicial District before serving as a supervising judge there. Last year she was appointed administrative judge of the district.

Prior to joining the bench, Ryba worked for the state courts in a variety of positions like special projects counsel to the deputy chief administrative judge for courts outside New York City and counsel to the presiding justice of the Third Department. She also worked as an Assistant Attorney General, attorney for the City of Albany and an Associate at Nixon Peabody.

Ryba is first vice president of the Association of Justices of the Supreme Court of the State of New York and a member of various legal associations. She served as chair of the Judicial Hearing Officer Selection Advisory Committee of the Third Department and co-chair of the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice.