Surrogate's Court Judge

Rita Mella

Democratic

Judge of the New York County Surrogate's Court in Manhattan since Jan. 2013.

On the Democratic line for Surrogate, New York County, in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election.

Professional record

Surrogate's Court judge, New York County, since Jan. 2013 · Admitted to the New York bar in 1992

Surrogate's Court proceedings

Matter of Kaufman (2026 NY Slip Op 03095) · Dec. 16, 2024

New York County Surrogate's Court judge who issued the order that was appealed.

Denied Trust Company, N.A.'s motion to dismiss the petition.

What this tells you

An appeals court upheld this ruling in full.

Case context & history

The question: Trust Company, N.A. asked the court to dismiss the petition.

Outcome / stage: The Appellate Division unanimously affirmed her order on May 14, 2026.

Her order was entered Dec. 16, 2024, and the appeal was decided about 17 months later.

Subsequent history: Reviewed by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, which affirmed the order on May 14, 2026.

Background

Before that she was a Civil Court judge assigned to the Criminal Court in Manhattan, after 13 years as a law clerk to judges.

Born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; moved to New York City in the 1980s
Came to the United States at 22 on a scholarship to the University of Florida, for graduate study in Latin American history
J.D., City University of New York Law School, 1991

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