Z

• Author: Elizabeth Smith/Mark Thompson
• Pages: 358-362

ZIMMERMAN, HOPE S.

Justice, Matrimonial Part, Tenth Judicial

District Supreme Court, Nassau County

Judge, Family Court, Nassau County

Appointment/Election: Appointed as

Supervising Judge, Nassau County

Matrimonial Parts by Chief Administrative

Judge Ann Pfau, 2011-present; elected to

Family Court in 2005; current term expires

in 2014.

Previous Experience: Supervising Judge,

Nassau County Family Court, 2009-2011;

Principal Law Secretary to Hon. Elaine

Jackson Stack, Nassau County Supreme

Court, 2000-2004; Attorney, Private Practice,

1987-1999.

Honors and Memberships: Member: Law

Guardian Advisor Committee, Tenth Judicial

District, 1997-present; NY Family Law Inns of

Court, 1996-present; Board of Directors,

National Association of Mothers’ Center,

1999-present; Board of Directors, Soroptimist

International of Nassau County, 1999-pre-

sent; Nassau County Bar Association,

Academy of Law Advisory Board, 2001-pre-

sent; Nassau County Bar Association, 1987-

present; Nassau County Women’s Bar

Association, 1987-present. Former Member:

Chair, Nassau County Bar Association,

Women in Courts Committee, 1995-1997;

President, Nassau County Women’s Bar

Association, 1994-1995; Co-Chair, National

Association of Mothers’ Center, 2000-2001.

Admission: NYS, Appellate Division,

Second Department, 1987.

Teaching/Lectures/Publications:

“Attorney Fees and Client Issues,” The

Annual Survey of Matrimonial Law, 1998;

“The Torah and the U.S. Constitution,”

Shofar Magazine, 1985; “Women Work for

Social Change,” Children Today, 1978.

Education: J.D., Hofstra University School

of Law (1986); M.A., New York University

(1970); B.A., Rhode Island College (1968).

Address: 400 County Seat Drive

Mineola, NY 11501

Phone: (516) 571-0021

ATTORNEYS’ COMMENTS

TEMPERAMENT/DEMEANOR

Attorneys interviewed about Justice

Zimmerman offered a wide range of com-

ments regarding her temperament. “She is

very pleasant and she has a sense of humor,”

said one interviewee. “She is very warm, car-

ing and decent. She is a good judge.” Another

interviewee said she is “a first-class lawyer”

and has a “wonderful judicial temperament.

She is a people person.” A different intervie-

wee said, “I think she is more, in a way, emo-

tional in her responses in the courtroom. But

that should not be seen as a negative. It

should be seen just as a matter of her per-

sonality. I would not say anything negative

about her.” Several other interviewees were

less impressed with Justice Zimmerman’s

temperament. “She has about as much

humor as my Rolodex,” said one. “She yells a

lot and when she gets a guy like me who yells

back, I guess she doesn’t like it. It’s not that

she doesn’t treat me with respect, but she

has no sense of humor, and she yells, and

yet her law secretary is exceptionally nice

and really good.” Another attorney said, “My

problem with her is that in her tone and

demeanor, she is very self-righteous. She has

a holier than thou attitude, particularly with

respect to professional ethics and responsi-

bility. She is not a realist, and not pragmat-

ic.” A few other interviewees appeared to have

seen both sides of Justice Zimmerman’s per-

sonality. “Her demeanor at times is tough,

but she is very sensitive,” said one. “She is

extremely patient, which is not something

she always used to be,” said another.

ON THE BENCH

Most interviewees praised Justice

Zimmerman as a highly competent and

knowledgeable judge, who was an experi-

enced practitioner before she became a

judge. “She has a good working knowledge of

the law,” said one. “I can tell you for a fact

that she is an extremely competent jurist.

She has been in the matrimonial field for the

better part of 20 years. She is extremely well-

trained. She is extremely well-schooled by

way of background. As far as her personality

is concerned, I can’t speak to her sense of

humor or the lack of it, but I certainly have

read her decisions, which are extremely well-

written. Her law secretary is also very good,

so she has good backup. That’s very impor-

tant in a matrimonial part.” Other attorneys

844 Zimmerman New York Judge Reviews