Yonkers, NY — Thomas Quiñones makes history as Yonkers’ first Hispanic City Court judge on Wednesday. Quiñones will be officially sworn-in by Spano on Friday at the city’s Inauguration Ceremony at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site on Warburton Avenue.

“I am proud to appoint Tom Quiñones as our new City Court Judge,” said Mayor Spano. “Tom has been in public service for nearly 30 years, serving the New York community, especially our most vulnerable population, assisting families and children in need. Tom’s professionalism, deep knowledge and experience in the judicial system will prove to be a great asset to the Yonkers City Court system.”

Quiñones joins the Yonkers City Court bench after being appointed as a Family Court Support Magistrate by the Chief Administrative Judge of the City of New York in 1996. There, he was dedicated to the children and families of New York, presiding in the Family Court determining matters of paternity, child/spousal support and other related proceedings. Previously, he worked in New York City’s Office of Legal Affairs where he served as the Executive Associate General Counsel and other various positions since 1987. Quiñones attended Cornell University from 1977 to 1980, received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Sociology from Hunter College in 1984 and received his Juris Doctor from CUNY Law School in 1987. A Yonkers resident, Quiñones is married and a father of three.

“I want to thank Mayor Spano for his confidence in me as I serve the great City of Yonkers,” said Thomas Quiñones. “Born in New York City to a single mother of Puerto Rican heritage, who always made it a point to emphasize the importance of education above all else and to focus on public service in order to give back to the community, I strive each day to live up to my law school’s motto ‘Law in the Service of Human Needs.’ Being appointed Yonkers City Court Judge provides me the great opportunity to continue my life’s mission to serve others with fairness and compassion.”

Quiñones will fill the vacant seat left by Judge Robert C. Cerrato and will run for a full 10-year term in the November 2016 election. Quiñones joins Hon. Michael A. Martinelli, Hon. Thomas R. Daly, Hon. Arthur J. Doran, III, Hon. Edward J. Gaffney, Hon. Evan Inlaw and Hon. Mary Anne Scattaretico-Naber on the Yonkers City Court bench.

The City of Yonkers 2016 Inauguration Ceremony will be held at Philipse Manor Hall Historic State Site at 12PM on January, 1, 2016. Quiñones will be sworn in that day along with other elected officials including Mayor Spano for his second term as the 42nd Mayor of the City of Yonkers, City Court Judge Michael A. Martinelli for a new term and Yonkers City Council Members Christopher Johnson (First Council District), Michael Sabatino (Third Council District), Michael Breen (Fifth Council District) for their second terms.

Philipse Manor Hall once served as Yonkers Village Hall and in 1872, it became the first City Hall. In 1908, Philipse Manor Hall was acquired by New York State and City Hall moved to its present day location at 40 S. Broadway. Friday’s ceremony marks the first known inauguration ceremony ever to take place at Philipse Manor Hall.