Five candidates are competing for three available seats on the Queens County Civil Court during the 2026 election cycle . This judicial contest coincides with high-profile statewide races, drawing significant attention to local legal leadership in New York .
Jasmine Valle-Bueno's decade of Queens court service
Jasmine Valle-Bueno, a former senior court attorney for a Queens Supreme Court administrative judge, is running on a platform of public service and community empowerment. according to the report, her extensive experience includes serving as a princpal law clerk in the Appellate Division and working as a court attorney in criminal, housing, and civil courts.
Valle-Bueno's background also includes a three-year tenure as a lead staff attorney for the Legal Empowerment and Assistance Program, where she assisted tenants facing eviction.. She has secured endorsements from a coalition of local Democratic leaders, including City Council members Phil Wong and Robert Holden, as well as the Roosevelt and New York Democratic Clubs.
Moira Milner's focus on language and translation services
Moira Milner, the foundr of the Milner Law Office, is campaigning to make the Queens court system more transparent and inclusive.. As the source indicates, Milner intends to use her academic and practical experience to expand language and translation services within the court system to better serve a diverse population.
Milner brings a multifaceted background to the race, having served as a professor and dissertation advisor at Long Island University and as a researcher for the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. She has previously received a "highly approved" rating from bar groups and has a history of serving as a pro bono arbitrator in Queens Civil Court.
The influence of Queens Community Board Six on the race
A candidate with experience on Queens Community Board Six is prioritizing the rights of families and small claims litigants. This candidate has managed a civil and constitutional law practice with a specific focus on ensuring that language barriers do not impede the right to a fair trial.
By emphasizing ethical practice and community outreach, this candidate aims to broaden the resource pool available to under-represented litigants. this approach seeks to address the practical, everyday legal disputes that residents face when navigating the complexities of New York law.
A Democratic endorsement list featuring Grace Meng and Nydia Velázquez
The 2026 Queens County Civil Court election features a massive wave of support from prominent Democratic officials. The endorsement list includes U.S. Representatives Grace Meng, Nydia Velázquez, and Gregory Meeks, signaling strong institutional backing for the judicial field.
Support also extends to Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and a wide array of state-level leaders, including Senators John Liu and Jessica Ramos. This broad coalition of city and state-level leadership suggests that the judicial race will be a central component of the local political landscape leading up to the November general election.
The identities of the two unnamed judicial candidates
While the report identifies three of the five contenders, the specific identities and platforms of the remaining two candidates remain unverified. It is currently unclear which specific legal backgrounds or community ties the two unnamed candidates bring to the race, or how they intend to differentiate themselves from the established frontrunners . Additionally, while the report notes that candidates are evaluated by the New York City Bar Association, the specific ratings for the two unnamed individuals have not been disclosed.
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