Appointed By: Chief Administrative Judge A. Gail Prudenti
The Hon. Bruce E. Tolbert (Ret.) was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Term, Second Judicial Department for the Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts. He was appointed to the Appellate Term by former Chief Administrative Judge A. Gail Prudenti in 2013. Tolbert retired in 2020. At the time of his retirement, he was serving as a certificated judge.
Tolbert also served as a justice of the Westchester County Supreme Court in the Ninth Judicial District of New York, a position he was elected to in 2005.
His judicial career began in 1985 when he was first elected to serve as a judge for the Yonkers City Court. Tolbert remained in that capacity until joining the Westchester County Family Court in 1987. He would later be appointed acting justice of the New York State Supreme Court in 2000.
Tolbert received a B.A. from Fordham University in 1970. He went on to earn a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1973.
Prior to joining the bench, Tolbert served as an attorney with Harlem Legal Services and was a deputy corporation counsel with the Office of the Corporation Counsel in Yonkers.
He is registered as a Republican.
| Current Appointment Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Term (2nd Judicial Department), Retired | Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Term (2nd Judicial Department), Retired |
| Previous Appointment Westchester County Supreme Court | Westchester County Supreme Court |
|
Education
J.D., Columbia University School of Law - 1973 B.A., Fordham University - 1970 |
J.D., Columbia University School of Law - 1973 B.A., Fordham University - 1970 |
| Current Court: | NY - Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Term (2nd Judicial Department) |
|---|---|
| Previous Court: | NY - Westchester County Supreme Court |
| Role | Employer | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Justice | Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Term, Second Department, Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts | Kings County, New York |
| Justice | Westchester County Supreme Court | Westchester County, New York |
| Acting Justice | New York State Supreme Court | None |
| Judge | Westchester County Family Court | Westchester County, New York |
| Judge | Yonkers City Court | Westchester County, New York |
| Deputy Corporation Counsel | Office of the Corporation Counsel in Yonkers | Westchester County, New York |
| Attorney | Harlem Legal Services | New York County, New York |
Ballotpedia: Bruce E. Tolbert
New York Law Journal: Bruce E. Tolbert
The New York State Senate: Historic Swearing In of Yonkers First Democratic, African-American City Judge
Times Herald-Record: To Meet Budget Cut Goals, New York Courts Won't Extend Terms for Senior Judges
The New York Times: Voters Have Wide Choice on Judges
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