Four judicial candidates won access to the Democratic line in the three contested primaries for four Civil Court Judge positions across New York City.

A Working Families Party-backed Brooklyn Civil Court attorney Janice Purvis and domestic violence survivor advocate Susan Liebman both won in localized judicial seat races in Brooklyn.

Out of the four candidates running for the countywide Queens Civil Court bench, private practitioner Julie Milner and Queens court attorney referee Edmond Wong came out on top of the heap.

Wong had been endorsed in February by the Queens County Democratic Party and approved by the New York City Bar Association. His victory Tuesday served to validate the influence of the borough’s Democratic political establishment. Wong garnered the most votes of the four candidates, with 31%.

Milner, however, came in second without receiving the support of the city bar association. She represents a countervailing force in Queens Democratic politics, having been endorsed by the East Elmhurst Democratic Club — led by disgraced former state senator Hiram Monserrate, who was expelled from the legislative body after he was convicted of misdemeanor assault against his then-girlfriend.

She won 27% of the vote, coming out ahead of Edward Irizarry, whom the Queens Democratic Party had endorsed, by over 5%. The Queens Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a question about whether they would be supporting Milner’s candidacy in the general election.

“I am deeply honored and humbled by the results of this historic primary election. This victory represents a powerful affirmation of grassroots support from very diverse communities throughout Queens who are determined to return the judicial seats to We the People,” Milner wrote in a statement to amNewYork Law.

Milner commended her “fellow insurgent” candidate, John J. Ciafone, the fourth contender in the race, who also did not receive institutional support from the county’s Democratic party. Ciafone, a trial attorney from Astoria, garnered the fewest votes with 20%.

Milner has managed her own law office, focusing on constitutional and civil rights litigation, since graduating from CUNY School of Law in 2008. For over a decade, she has also served as an arbitrator in the Queens Civil Court’s attorney-client fee dispute program. 

It’s not her first time running for Queens Civil Court. In winning the primary, Milner overcame scrutiny around social media posts she made calling for President Joe Biden’s execution and trafficking right-wing views that surfaced when she ran for the post in 2024. 

In Brooklyn, both Purvis and Liebman won with a healthy share of support from sitting elected and local political clubs. 

Purvis, who won a Brooklyn Civil Court seat representing Central Brooklyn, was endorsed by LGBTQ group Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, the Working Families Party, Independent Neighborhood Democrats and Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats. The New York City Bar Association approved her qualifications.

Purvis spent over 20 years of her legal career working in the city Law Department. She currently works as a special referee in the matrimonial court under Statewide Coordinating Judge for Matrimonial Matters Judge Jeffrey Sunshine. She won with 55% of the vote. 

Liebman, who won a civil court seat representing South Brooklyn, also received the endorsement of the Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, and the Independent Neighborhood Democrats, as well as the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club. She got the support of Brooklyn Democratic District Leader Diana Gonzalez and state Senator Jo Anne Simon.

Liebman recently left a position as the principal law clerk in the civil part of Brooklyn Supreme Court for a post offering pro bono legal services to domestic violence survivors through Mount Sinai’s victim services program. She won with 59% of the vote.