Joseph C. Pastoressa has been a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Suffolk County since 2012. He was previously an Acting Justice, Supreme Court, Suffolk County from 2004 to 2011, while also serving as a Judge of the Court of Claims. Before his judicial service he was in private practice, and thereafter served as a Principal Law Clerk to an Appellate Division Justice, to a Court of Claims Judge and to a Supreme Court Justice. He received his bachelor's degree from St. John's University and his J.D. Cum Laude from Brooklyn Law School. His career has included nationally televised Court TV trials, and numerous landmark rulings of first impression.