Judge Mary M. Werner: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Mary M. Werner (Ret.) was a justice of the Suffolk County Supreme Court in the Tenth Judicial District of New York. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor Mario Cuomo in 1991. She retired from the bench in 2006.

While on the bench, Werner was appointed to serve as the district administrative judge of Suffolk County in 1994, holding the distinction of being the first woman to serve in that position in the County. She was also instrumental in starting Drug Courts in the District and Family Courts, helped to reform trial case management within the Court, and opened a Children’s Room in the District Court.

Prior to joining the bench, she worked as a prosecutor with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. During her tenure there, Werner held an assignment in the New York State Organized Crime Task Force and later became chief of the Family Crime Bureau.

She received a B.A. from Dowling College. Werner also completed a J.D. from St. John’s Law School.

Her memberships have included the ENERGEIA Project at Molloy College (board of advisors), the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Program at Stony Brook University, the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association (founding member and past-president), the New York State Bar Association, the Suffolk County Bar Association (board of directors), the Suffolk Academy of Law, and the New York State Family Violence Task Force.

She also served as a member of the board of Cleary School for the Deaf and St. John’s Law School Alumni Association.

Some of her awards have included the Child Abuse and Family Violence Professional Award, the Distinguished Service to Victims and Their Advocates Award from the Information Bureau, the Distinguished Merit Award from the Suffolk Academy of Law, the Education and Assistance Humanitarian Award, the Zonta Woman of the Year Award, the American Red Cross Community Service Award, and the Suffolk Hadassah Wreath Award.

In 2013, Werne published a novel based on her memoirs.