Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the designation of Justice Matthew Parker-Raso as an Additional Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Department and the elevation of current Justice Manuel Mendez to Associate Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Department.

“New Yorkers deserve a judiciary that reflects excellence, fairness, and the diversity of our state,” Governor Hochul said. “Justice Matthew Parker-Raso’s historic appointment to the First Department and Justice Manuel Mendez’s elevation strengthen New York’s appellate court. I am confident that their appointments will ensure justice is administered fairly and impartially throughout our state.”

Judge Matthew Parker-Raso

The Honorable Matthew Parker-Raso was elected as the first openly gay male Justice of the New York State Supreme Court for The Bronx. He previously served as a NYC Civil Court Judge and was the Supervising Judge of Bronx Civil Court for the last two years of his Civil Court term.

Prior to joining the bench, Justice Parker-Raso was the senior court attorney to then NYC Civil Court Judge Paul Alpert and the principal law clerk to NYS Supreme Court Justice Mitchell Danziger. He also served as a member of Bronx Community Board 11, the Bronx Borough President’s LGBTQ+ Policy Task Force, and the Judiciary Committee of the LGBT Bar Association NY.

Justice Parker-Raso currently serves on the Board of Directors for both the NYS LGBTQ+ Judges Association and the Supreme Court Justices Association of the City of New York. He chaired the NYC Civil Court’s Equal Justice Implementation Committee from 2023 to 2024 and has been an active member of the NYS Courts’ Gender Fairness Committee for the 12th Judicial District since 2017.

Justice Parker-Raso is a graduate of New York Law School where he received his Juris Doctorate and of the State University of New York at Binghamton where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Law. He and his husband are the proud parents of their 10-year-old son.

Presiding Justice Renwick said, “I am pleased to welcome Justice Parker-Raso as our newest colleague at the Appellate Division, First Department. Justice Parker-Raso brings to this Court the intellect and collegiality he demonstrated as a Justice of the Supreme Court. He has earned a reputation as a hard-working jurist possessed of sound judgment, integrity, respect for the rule of law, and a passion for justice. I look forward to working with him as he continues his distinguished judicial service.”

Judge Manuel Mendez

The Honorable Manuel J. Mendez was appointed to the Appellate Division, First

Department, on July 27, 2020. Prior to serving in the Appellate Division, Justice

Mendez served in Supreme Court New York County as coordinating judge of the New York City Asbestos Litigation (NYCAL), where he handled a docket of thousands of complex products liability and toxic tort cases.

Justice Mendez received a Bachelor of Science in Public Accounting from Fordham University College of Business Administration (now Gabelli School of Business) in 1983, a J.D. from the Universidad Central del Este School of Law (UCE) in San Pedro de Macorix, Dominican Republic in 1987, and completed the Foreign Lawyers Program at Fordham University School of Law in 1988.

Justice Mendez is admitted to the practice of law in all courts of the Dominican Republic 1989, the State of New York 1990, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, 1991 and Federal District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 2004.

Presiding Justice Renwick said, “I am delighted that Governor Hochul has designated Justice Mendez as a Constitutional Justice of our Court. He is an exceptional jurist whose hard-working, deliberate, and collegial approach to his responsibilities as an appellate judge make him an asset to the bench and a valued colleague. I am confident that our Court, the bar, and the public will continue to benefit from his exemplary service.”