Queens voters may select up to three candidates in a judicial race that includes attorneys with backgrounds in civil litigation, criminal defense and court administration
By Midtown Times Staff
October 28, 2026
QUEENS, N.Y. (Midtown Times) — While New York’s gubernatorial contest has attracted much of the attention this election season, Queens voters will also decide a competitive judicial race involving five candidates seeking three countywide Civil Court seats.
Early voting began Oct. 24 ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Queens voters may choose as many as three candidates, each seeking a 10-year term.
Civil Court judges oversee cases involving contracts, unpaid debts, personal injuries, property damage and other monetary disputes generally valued at no more than $50,000. The court also includes Housing Court and Small Claims Court.
The candidates are Edmond Wong, Julie M. Milner, Jasmine I. Valle-Bueno, Thomas D. Barra and Michael Mossa. The official sample ballot lists Milner on both the Democratic and Republican lines, while Barra and Mossa appear under the Republican and Conservative parties. Wong and Valle-Bueno are running as Democrats.
Edmond Wong
Wong currently serves as a court attorney-referee in Queens County Surrogate’s Court, where he handles hearings, pretrial conferences and complex estate matters under Judge Cassandra Johnson.
He previously worked as an associate court attorney in Queens Civil Court and represented clients in real-property and guardianship cases in state and federal courts.
The son of immigrants from Hong Kong and a graduate of New York City public schools, Wong says his experience as an attorney, court official and first-generation American would guide his work on the bench.
The New York City Bar Association rated Wong “approved,” while the Queens County Bar Association found him “qualified.” He did not participate in the LGBT Bar Association’s evaluation.
Julie M. Milner
Milner is the founder and managing attorney of Milner Law Office, where she practices civil and constitutional law. Since 2012, she has also volunteered as an arbitrator for a court program that resolves disputes over legal fees.
Her professional background includes work as a social worker, researcher, public-school teacher and university professor. Milner says those experiences shaped her interest in improving access to the courts, including expanding translation and language services.
Milner won a place on the Democratic ballot during the June primary and also appears on the Republican line in the general election.
Previous reporting raised questions about social-media posts attributed to Milner’s account, including conspiracy theories and content criticized as anti-LGBTQ and antisemitic. Milner disputed how the posts were characterized, calling the reporting politically motivated. She also said she is the mother of gay and transgender children and has provided legal assistance to LGBTQ clients.
The New York City Bar Association rated Milner “not approved.” She did not participate in the Queens County Bar Association or LGBT Bar Association screenings.
Jasmine I. Valle-Bueno
Valle-Bueno, a Queens native, has more than a decade of legal experience and currently works as a senior court attorney to an administrative judge in Queens Supreme Court’s Civil Term.
Her previous positions include senior principal law clerk in the Appellate Division, principal law clerk in Queens Supreme Court, senior court attorney in Criminal Court and court attorney in Housing Court.
Before joining the court system, Valle-Bueno worked for a legal-services program assisting New York City tenants facing eviction and other housing disputes. She says her experience in civil, criminal, housing, family and appellate law would allow her to serve Queens residents with fairness and integrity.
Valle-Bueno received an “approved” rating from the New York City Bar Association, a “qualified” rating from the Queens County Bar Association and a “highly approved” designation from the LGBT Bar Association.
Thomas D. Barra
Barra has nearly 30 years of experience as a Queens criminal-defense attorney. He represents clients facing charges that include homicide, assault, drug offenses and driving while intoxicated in state and federal courts.
He also publishes social-media videos addressing legal questions, including police interrogation practices and orders of protection.
Barra appears on the Republican and Conservative ballot lines. The New York City Bar Association rated him “not approved,” while the Queens County and LGBT bar associations reported that he did not participate in their evaluations.
Michael Mossa
Mossa is a Queens criminal-defense attorney with more than two decades of legal experience. He operates Mossa and Associates and has previously sought elected office.
In 2023, Mossa unsuccessfully challenged Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. He has also run for City Council seats representing Howard Beach and the Rockaways.
Mossa is running on the Republican and Conservative lines. He received a “not approved” rating from the New York City Bar Association and did not participate in the other two bar-association evaluations.
Bar-association ratings are intended to assess candidates’ experience, legal ability, professional conduct and judicial temperament. They are advisory and do not determine whether a candidate may appear on the ballot.
Queens voters should look near the bottom of their ballots for the countywide Civil Court contest and may vote for up to three of the five candidates.
By The Midtown Times
