2026 New York General Election

Keshia Espinal

Alejandra Gracias

As a New York City kid, born and raised, and a first-generation Latina-American, leaving the big city behind didn’t feel like an option for Keshia when it came to choosing a college. She would be looking for a school close to home that fit within the individualized teaching she had become accustomed to attending a small all-girls high school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

All Rise for the Honorable Judge Keshia Espinal ’95

Once enrolled as an English Literature major, she quickly become immersed in SJNY’s close-knit campus atmosphere. She participated in student government among other clubs while also getting to know the University’s staff throughout its many departments. Just like she wanted, Judge Espinal got to know everyone by name and they all knew her, only adding to her college experience.

Keshia Espinal is from New York City. She studied English literature at SJNY, where she participated in student government and other clubs.

All Rise for the Honorable Judge Keshia Espinal '95 - On Campus

Throughout her career, she garnered experience on both sides of the legal system. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Judge Espinal worked as a paralegal and Spanish interpreter on the defense side, and after achieving her dream of becoming an attorney, joined the DA’s office as a prosecutor in Queens County.

De Blasio announced the appointments of two new judges to Criminal Court and seven new interim Civil Court judges who will sit in Criminal Court.

According to de Blasio, these judges span a wide spectrum of experiencesand are uniquely qualified to serve New Yorkers.

“New Yorkers deserve dedicated, experienced and impartial judges in court,” he said. “I look forward to working with these nine new judges, who have diverse personal and professional backgrounds and will represent the best interest of New Yorkers across the five boroughs.”

Judge Keshia Espinal, who served with the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for 16 years, and Judge Danielle Hartman, a former prosecutor with the Queens DA’s office, are the two new judges assigned to Criminal Court.

Lancman Commends Mayor for Filling Civil, Criminal Court Vacancies

Keshia previously worked as a prosecutor in the Queens County District Attorney’s Office after working as a paralegal and Spanish interpreter for the defense.

Lancman commends mayor for filling Civil, Criminal court vacancies

It was that sense of empathy and care that led to her being appointed to the position of judge for the King Country Criminal Court in 2017. Today, the Honorable Judge Keshia Espinal serves the Criminal Court as its Supervising Administrative Judge, the first woman and person of color to hold the position in Kings Country Criminal Court history.

## KINGS COUNTY (Brooklyn)

Supervising Judge
Hon. Keshia Espinal

Borough Chief Clerk
Anthony Calise

NYC Criminal Court General Information & Locations | New York Courts

Worked as a paralegal and Spanish interpreter on the defense side before becoming an attorney.

Served for 16 years as a prosecutor with the Queens County District Attorney’s Office.

Serves as supervising judge of Kings County Criminal Court after being appointed to the court in 2017.

- Serves as supervising judge of Kings County Criminal Court after being appointed to the court in 2017.

Legal Experience

Said prosecutors represent the people of New York, including defendants.

Through it all, Judge Espinal kept an open mind and carried a strong sense of professionalism and empathy, allowing herself to push the limits of what she believed was possible.

“As a prosecutor, I really took it to heart where it says, ’I don’t represent one individual, I represent the people of the state of New York and that includes the defendant,’” Judge Espinal said.

Said court decisions affect people's lives and every case must be treated as important.

She has focused on streamlining processes and reducing delays, which she believes are crucial for maintaining public trust in the judicial system.

"We have to be mindful of the impact our decisions have on people’s lives," she said. "Every case is important, and we must treat them as such."

Lunch with Supervising Judge Keshia Espinal: Collegiality Between Bench and Bar Shines Through

Judicial Philosophy

As supervising judge, issued a discovery pilot intended to reduce delays that could require defense attorneys to waive late-stage challenges to evidence disclosures.

Judge Keisha Espinal, the supervising judge of Brooklyn’s criminal court, issued a controversial court order on Monday that could push defense attorneys to waive their right to challenge prosecutors’ failure to turn over evidence in the latter stages of a case.

The order launches a pilot initiative that court officials said is intended to cut down on delays spurred by the landmark discovery reforms passed by the New York state legislature in 2019. But defense attorneys argue the judge’s plan undermines lawmakers’ efforts to ensure people facing criminal charges are not kept in the dark about key evidence in their cases.

Brooklyn Judge Curbs Defendants’ Rights To Challenge DAs On Evidence Sharing

Said judges and lawyers must work collaboratively to ensure justice is served.

During a recent lunch with the Brooklyn Eagle, Espinal discussed her philosophy on the importance of maintaining strong relationships between the judiciary and the legal community. She believes that open communication and mutual respect are essential for a functioning legal system.

"We are all in this together," she said. "The bench and bar must work collaboratively to ensure justice is served."

Judicial Administration

As of October 15, 2026, Keshia Espinal’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Ethics & Conduct

Partners with agencies to provide access to court-system programs and resources, including through a job and resource fair at the Brooklyn Criminal Courthouse.

Today, the Honorable Judge Keshia Espinal serves the Criminal Court as its Supervising Administrative Judge, the first woman and person of color to hold the position in Kings Country Criminal Court history.

Among her responsibilities Judge Espinal partners with various agencies to provide access to programs and resources within the court system. This recently included the first-ever job and resource fair at the Brooklyn Criminal Courthouse.

Community Involvement

Aija Tingling

Karen Cortes-Tower

Matthew Levy

- The New York Civil Court has jurisdiction over civil cases involving amounts up to $50,000 and other civil matters referred to it by the Supreme Court.
- It includes a small claims part for informal dispositions of matters not exceeding $10,000 and a housing part for landlord-tenant matters and housing code violations.
- There are 120 judges elected to the Civil Court, but only about 50 sit in it. The remaining judges sit in other courts, such as the Criminal Court or Family Court.
- Judges are elected to 10-year terms in partisan elections.
- They are paid a salary of $216,400.

Judge who handles majority of civil cases in New York