Hon. Thomas E. Mercure
Hon. Thomas E. Mercure, retired, is Of Counsel to Rowlands, LeBrou & Griesmer, PLLC. Justice Mercure focuses his practice on appellate advocacy, ethics and complex civil litigation, as well as alternative dispute resolution services, including mediation and arbitration.
In 1969, Justice Mercure began his career in the private practice of law in Fort Edward, New York. He entered public service in 1973 as an Assistant District Attorney in Washington County. He became first assistant a year later, was elected District Attorney in 1976 and served in that position for four years.
Justice Mercure’s career on the bench began in 1981 following his election as Washington County Judge. His tenure as a jurist continued for the next 33 years, during which time he was elected to three terms on the state Supreme Court, was appointed to the Appellate Division, Third Department, and served as Administrative Judge of the Third Judicial District, overseeing courts, judges and court system employees in seven counties.
In March, 2014, Justice Mercure retired from the bench after serving for more than 25 years as Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, during which time he heard more than 21,000 appeals, wrote more than 3,000 signed opinions, and became the longest serving Justice in the 118-year history of the court. Justice Mercure served as Acting Presiding Justice in 2011 and 2012.
Justice Mercure sat on the New York State Court of Appeals, by designation, twice in 1994 and 2011 for two cases, including one related to the World Trade Center bombing in 1993. He was nominated and determined to be well qualified for a seat on the high court three times by the Commission on Judicial Nomination in 2006-2007 – twice for Associate Judge and once for Chief Judge of the State of New York.
