Judge Steven M. Jaeger: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Steven M. Jaeger is an Acting Justice of the Nassau County Supreme Court in the Tenth Judicial District of New York. He was elevated to the Supreme Court bench in 2017 by the Hon. Lawrence K. Marks, Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York. His appointment to the Supreme Court came after he was initially appointed to the New York State Court of Claims by Governor Andrew Cuomo that same year.

His judicial career began in 2002 when he was elected to the Nassau County District Court. He remained on the District Court until 2004. While on the District Court bench, he was designated to serve as an acting judge for the Nassau County Family Court in 2004 and served in that capacity until being elected to the Nassau County Court in 2005. After his election to the County Court, Justice Jaeger was promptly designated to serve as an Acting Justice of the Nassau County Supreme Court. He was recertified to the seat in 2008. He remained on the County Court bench until losing his bid for re-election in 2014. Justice Jaeger would ultimately return to the bench after his appointment to the Court of Claims in 2017.

He is a registered Democrat.

He graduated with his B.A. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973. Jaeger went on to earn his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1976.

In 1977, he joined the Legal Aid Society, where he served as a criminal defense attorney and appellate counsel until 1981.

It was at that time, Jaeger began his first stint with the New York State Unified Court System, serving as a law secretary to the Hon. Alexander Vitale with the Nassau County Court for three years.

After leaving that position in 1984, he entered private practice, where he would remain until returning to the Unified Court System in 2000 as a principal law clerk to the Hon. Meryl J. Berkowitz with the Nassau County Court. He held that position until 2001.

Then, after his unsuccessful bid for re-election in 2014, Jaeger worked as a principal law clerk to the Hon. Sharon Gianelli, Justice of the Nassau County Supreme Court, until receiving his appointment to the Court of Claims from Governor Cuomo in 2017.

His memberships have included the Nassau County Bar Association, the New York State County Judges Association, and the Theodore Roosevelt American Inn of Court. He has also served on the board of directors of the Jewish Lawyers Association of Nassau County.