Hon. Justice Vito M. DeStefano
Vito M. DeStefano is a New York State Supreme Court Justice and the Administrative Judge of the 10th Judicial District, Nassau County. He has served as Administrative Judge since 2021 and as Supreme Court Justice since 2008. Prior to serving in the Supreme Court, Judge DeStefano was a Nassau County District Court Judge for four years.
Judge DeStefano currently presides over the Tax Certiorari Part of the Supreme Court, Nassau County. In the past, he presided in the Commercial Division, the Matrimonial Part, regular Civil Part and an old case Part of the court. In this last-referenced Part, Judge DeStefano achieved approximately $40 million in settlements and a 75% settlement rate of trial-ready cases. In his judicial capacity, Judge DeStefano has handled thousands of civil and criminal matters from commencement through verdict or decision. He is the author of many published decisions covering a wide array or legal issues.
Judge DeStefano has served as a member of the Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics (“ACJE”) since 2009. He currently serves on the Ethics Faculty of the ACJE. Since 2019, Judge DeStefano has served on the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Standards of Attorney Conduct, revising and recommending rules and changes to the Rules of Professional Conduct. Judge DeStefano is also a member of the Advisory Committee on AI and the Courts.
Judge DeStefano serves as co-chair (along with Hon. Andrea Phoenix) of the Nassau County Equal Justice in the Courts Committee. The Committee has undertaken many initiatives with the goal of treating every person who encounters the courts with the utmost dignity and respect. Amongst other accomplishments, the committee, in December 2022, became the only such committee to achieve CLE provider status. The committee has conducted numerous CLEs and educational programs.
Judge DeStefano has been an adjunct professor at Hofstra University School of Law, St. John’s University School of Law, Long Island University C.W. post School of Accountancy and at Molloy College in the undergraduate and graduate business programs. Among the courses taught by Judge DeStefano are Business Ethics (to MBA students) and Lawyer’s Ethics at Hofstra University School of Law. Judge DeStefano was twice recognized as Adjunct Faculty member of the year by Molloy College students. In the summer of 2016, Judge DeStefano taught Advanced Argumentation and Professional Responsibility at St. John’s University School of Law. He currently teaches New York Civil Practice and Select Topics in Law and Technology: Legal Ethics and Artificial Intelligence at St. John’s.
Judge DeStefano is a frequent and popular continuing legal education lecturer in many subjects.
From 1999 to 2003, Judge DeStefano was an associate at a major mid-town law firm. A substantial part of his practice involved appellate work and insurance litigation of all types. Before entering private practice, Judge DeStefano served as an Appellate Court Attorney at the Appellate Division Second Judicial Department. Judge DeStefano received his juris doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School and his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies (magna cum laude) from Wagner College. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School and was born in Brooklyn, New York.
Information about Judge DeStefano is also available on the Judicial Directory.