Novillo immigrated from Ecuador along with his family when he was a young child, and grew up in Jackson Heights. Novillo said his experience growing up in a working-class family is what motivated him to go to law school and what eventually drove him to the bench.

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Justice Novillo is a graduate of John Jay College and Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, where he was recognized for his public service, earning two prestigious public interest fellowships.

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Edwin I. Novillo immigrated from Ecuador with his family as a young child and grew up in Jackson Heights. He is a graduate of John Jay College and Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.

Edwin immigrated from Ecuador with his family as a young child and grew up in Jackson Heights. He is a graduate of John Jay College and Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.

Prior to his becoming a judge, he was employed by The Legal Aid Society, serving as a staff attorney in its Kings County Criminal Defense Practice and later as a senior staff attorney in the Society’s Queens County Criminal Defense Practice.

News Flash: LLAQC Member Hon. Edwin I. Novillo Named Supervising Judge of Queens County Criminal Court

He got his start as an attorney for the Legal Aid Society, representing defendants in both Queens and Brooklyn over a 14-year career.

Edwin I. Novillo previously worked at The Legal Aid Society as a staff attorney in its Kings County Criminal Defense Practice and later as a senior staff attorney in its Queens County Criminal Defense Practice.

LLAQC Member Hon. Edwin I. Novillo Named Supervising Judge of ...

2026 New York General Election

He transferred to the Queens County Criminal Court in 2021, where has overseen thousands of cases including the majority of the unindicted felonies in Queens County, according to the Latino Judges Association, which Novillo is a board member of.

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Hon. Edwin I. Novillo has been serving in Queens County Supreme Court’s Criminal Term, where he hears an array of matters. His judicial career began with his interim appointment to New York City Civil Court in February 2018, making him the first person of Ecuadorian descent to be named to the judiciary by a New York City mayor. He was reappointed in January 2019, serving on the New York City Criminal Court and presiding over thousands of cases, and later designated an acting Supreme Court Justice.

Transferred to Queens County Criminal Court in 2021 and oversaw thousands of cases, including most unindicted felony cases in Queens County.

Represented criminal defendants as an attorney for the Legal Aid Society in Queens and Brooklyn for 14 years.

Began his judicial career with an interim appointment to New York City Civil Court in February 2018.

Served on New York City Criminal Court after being reappointed in January 2019 and presided over thousands of cases.

Served as an acting Supreme Court Justice after his New York City Criminal Court service.

- Transferred to Queens County Criminal Court in 2021 and oversaw thousands of cases, including most unindicted felony cases in Queens County.
- Represented criminal defendants as an attorney for the Legal Aid Society in Queens and Brooklyn for 14 years.
- Began his judicial career with an interim appointment to New York City Civil Court in February 2018.
- Served on New York City Criminal Court after being reappointed in January 2019 and presided over thousands of cases.
- Served as an acting Supreme Court Justice after his New York City Criminal Court service.

Legal Experience

To the extent that being a public defender has shaped me, it’s helped me understand that everyone involved in a case is a human. I don’t look at cases that come before me as pieces of paper,” he said.

From legal defender to docket warrior: Supervising Judge Novillo takes on Queens Criminal Court

“It is both a profound privilege and a great honor to accept the appointment as supervising judge in the borough where I was raised,” Novillo said. “Queens, a borough renowned for its vibrant cultural diversity, has instilled in me a deep understanding of the vital importance of ensuring that justice is administered with fairness, integrity, and empathy. I am firmly committed to assuring that every individual, regardless of background, can experience a system of justice that treats them with dignity and respect.”

Said his public-defender experience leads him to view everyone involved in a case as human, rather than as paperwork.

Committed to administering justice with fairness, integrity, and empathy, and treating people with dignity and respect regardless of background.

- Said his public-defender experience leads him to view everyone involved in a case as human, rather than as paperwork.
- Committed to administering justice with fairness, integrity, and empathy, and treating people with dignity and respect regardless of background.

Judicial Philosophy

That approach quickly clicked into place on the bench and when Novillo was assigned to the standards and goals part. Instead of defending clients in need, he would attack the backlog.

“The way that I still see access to justice is giving people an opportunity to have their day in court to litigate their cases,” he said.

Novillo would get cases to resolve through his own willingness to barrel through long caseloads per day. In cases where defense or prosecution wasn’t ready for trial, he would give them a brief window and then stick it on the calendar even if it was already stacked.

“What I started doing is I started holding their feet to the fire, and I started saying, ‘Well, you’re requesting a week. No problem. If it’s the 120th case that I have on that calendar that day, I’ll give you a week,’” Novillo said.

He was subsequently promoted to serve as an acting justice of the criminal term of Queens Supreme Court in 2024 before he took over as supervising judge this past January, where he oversees the administration of the criminal court and courthouse operations.

“I think my approach is a collaborative one. I want to make sure that I listen to everybody’s input,” Novillo said.

Novillo has some impressive stats to show for his tenure as an administrator. He has opened a second trial part for misdemeanor cases, which has resulted in 20% more trials being completed compared to the previous year. Since February, he has reduced the number of cases over a year old by 31%. He opened an expedited arraignment part on Fridays for cases where the DA’s office is consenting to release defendants. It processes 20 to 30 cases every Friday morning, and has led to an average 12% decrease in the arrest-to-arraignment time.

“We don’t want anybody staying incarcerated, a second longer than they need to,” Novillo said.

Said access to justice means giving people an opportunity to have their day in court and litigate their cases.

Said he gives parties short adjournments and keeps their cases on the calendar to move them toward resolution.

Said he takes a collaborative approach and listens to input from everyone involved in court administration.

Said people should not remain incarcerated longer than necessary.

- Said access to justice means giving people an opportunity to have their day in court and litigate their cases.
- Said he gives parties short adjournments and keeps their cases on the calendar to move them toward resolution.
- Said he takes a collaborative approach and listens to input from everyone involved in court administration.
- Said people should not remain incarcerated longer than necessary.

Judicial Administration

As of September 9, 2026, Edwin I. Novillo did not have a website or any information online.

Ethics & Conduct

Among his professional activities, he serves on the board of the Latino Judges Association, is a member of the Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County and mentors aspiring judges via the Franklin H. Williams Commission’s Judicial Mentorship Program.

Mentors aspiring judges through the Franklin H. Williams Commission’s Judicial Mentorship Program.

- Mentors aspiring judges through the Franklin H. Williams Commission’s Judicial Mentorship Program.

Community Involvement

Edwin I. Novillo

NEW YORK—Chief Administrative Judge Joseph A. Zayas and First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Norman St. George today announced the appointments of six Supervising Judges in New York City’s Criminal Court, Civil Court, and Housing Court: Hon. Edwin I. Novillo as Supervising Judge of Queens County Criminal Court; Hon. Taisha L. Chambers as Supervising Judge of Bronx County Civil Court; Hon. Carmen A. Pacheco as Supervising Judge of Kings County (Brooklyn) Civil Court; Hon. L. Austin D’Souza as Supervising Judge of New York County (Manhattan) Civil Court; Hon. Ira R. Greenberg as Supervising Judge of Queens County Civil; and Hon. Frances Ortiz as Supervising Judge of New York County Housing Court.

NYcourts.gov press release PDF (PR25_01)

Was appointed Supervising Judge of Queens County Criminal Court.

- Was appointed Supervising Judge of Queens County Criminal Court.

As of September 9, 2026, Edwin I. Novillo’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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- The  New York Supreme Court is the state-wide trial court with the broadest jurisdiction in criminal and civil matters. However, it is not the state’s court of last resort.
- It can hear virtually any type of case brought before it, except for claims brought against the state which must be heard by the Court of Claims. Generally, it hears high-level criminal cases or civil cases with a judgment of more than $50,000.
- It is the only court that can grant divorce, annulment, and separation in New York.
- The New York Supreme Court is broken into 12 judicial districts state-wide. There are currently 154 justices authorized to sit in the New York City Supreme Court, but only 136 actually serve in Supreme Court trial parts because some of the justices are assigned to the Appellate Division or the Appellate Term.
- Justices of the Supreme Court are elected to serve 14-year terms and are paid a salary of $232,600.

A judge on your judicial district’s trial court which oversees criminal and civil matters. 