Civil Court Judge - District 7

Karen Cortes-Tower

Democratic

The Family Court career listed here, a New York City Family Court judge whose appointment by Mayor Bill de Blasio was reported in Jan. 2019 and who was listed in 2026 as a court attorney referee in the Bronx County Family Court, is that of a Karen Cortes.

On the Democratic line in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election.

Overview Cases & record Support

Court attorney referee, Bronx Family Court (2026) · Admitted to the New York bar in 2004

Selected cases & rulings

Family Court (child placement)

Intake order in a Bronx Family Court case

Matter of S.D. (K.E.D.) (2026 NY Slip Op 50523(U)) · Sept. 17, 2025

Bronx Family Court judge, named Karen Cortes in the decision, before whom the case appeared on intake.

Remanded the child to the custody of the commissioner.

What this tells you

Her order is recorded in a later published decision in the same case.

New York State Law Reporting Bureau — Matter of S.D. (K.E.D.), 2026 NY Slip Op 50523(U) ↗

Case context & history

The question: The case came before her on intake, on allegations that the respondent had been arrested on assault and weapons charges.

Outcome / stage: The child was placed in the commissioner's custody.

The decision describing it was issued in 2026.

History coverage: Appellate review of this order was not checked.

Her career lines come from court, bar and news sources that name a Karen Cortes, and her bar admission from the New York attorney registration of Karen M.C. Cortes, whose registered employer is the Bronx County Family Court. The Manhattan Democratic Party's screening panel and the Uptown Community Democrats list a Karen Cortes for this race, but no source found as of Sept. 29, 2026 gives both names for one person. The dates her Family Court judgeship ended and her referee post began were not found. Her published decisions could not be checked as of Sept. 30, 2026. No bar association rating of her was found as of Sept. 29, 2026.

Professional experience

Sept. 2025
Judge in the Bronx County Family Court; a published decision names her Karen Cortes.
New York State Law Reporting Bureau — Matter of S.D. (K.E.D.), 2026 NY Slip Op 50523(U) ↗
Jan. 2019
Appointed a New York City Family Court judge by Mayor Bill de Blasio, under the name Karen Cortes.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle ↗

Bar admission & conduct

Bar admission: Admitted 2004 · Brooklyn Law School
NYS Attorney Registrations (data.ny.gov) — registration of Karen M.C. Cortes ↗
Judicial conduct: No public determination naming Karen Cortes-Tower, Karen M.C. Cortes or Karen Cortes in the State Commission on Judicial Conduct's determination database (checked Sept. 30, 2026).
NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct — public determination list ↗

Qualifications & evaluations

Reported out among the Civil Court candidates for vacant seats, listed as Karen Cortes

Manhattan Democratic Party independent judicial screening panel · Feb. 12, 2026

Issued Feb. 12, 2026 for the 2026 Civil Court screening; the announcement does not name the district.

Manhattan Democratic Party — results of the 2026 Civil Independent Judicial Screening Panel (Feb. 12, 2026) ↗

Others running for Civil Court Judge - District 7

ATAija Tingling KEKeshia Espinal MLMatthew Levy