Civil Court Judge - District 7

Keshia Espinal

Democratic

Supervising judge of the Kings County Criminal Court in Brooklyn, the first woman and first person of color in that post, and a New York City Criminal Court judge since May 2017.

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

Overview Cases & record Support Money

Supervising judge, Kings County Criminal Court · Admitted to the New York bar in 2001

Selected cases & rulings

No published decision signed by her, and no appellate decision reviewing one of her rulings, was found as of Sept. 30, 2026. The dates of her 16 years at the Queens County District Attorney's Office, and of her earlier work as a title closer on Long Island and as a Spanish interpreter and paralegal, were not found. No bar association rating of her was found as of Sept. 29, 2026.

Professional experience

named by spring 2021
Supervising judge of the Kings County Criminal Court.
NYS Unified Court System — Franklin H. Williams Commission newsletter, Spring 2021 ↗
since May 2017
Judge of the New York City Criminal Court; reappointed in Jan. 2021 to a term that expires in Dec. 2030.
NYC Mayor's Advisory Committee on the Judiciary — Criminal Court judges ↗
Assistant district attorney in the Queens County District Attorney's Office for 16 years, in its Domestic Violence, Appeals and Supreme Court bureaus, including as a supervising assistant district attorney in the Domestic Violence Bureau.
NYS Unified Court System — Franklin H. Williams Commission newsletter, Spring 2021 ↗
Before becoming a lawyer, a title closer on Long Island and a Spanish interpreter and paralegal for a defense practice in Manhattan.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle ↗

Bar admission & conduct

Bar admission: Admitted 2001 · Western New England University School of Law
NYS Attorney Registrations (data.ny.gov) ↗
Judicial conduct: No public determination naming Keshia Espinal 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

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

The panel, set up by the Manhattan Democratic Party, reports out the candidates it considers highly qualified for the party's nomination to Civil Court seats; its Feb. 12, 2026 announcement lists the candidates it reported out for vacant Civil Court seats and 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 MLMatthew Levy KCKaren Cortes-Tower