On June 27, registered Democrats will be asked to cast their ballot in a special Democratic primary for judge for the New York City Civil Court for Queens County. Currently there are two candidates, Sandra Perez and Marianne Gonzalez and whoever wins the special primary will be on the ballot for the general election scheduled for Nov. 7.
Gonzalez, raised in Brooklyn, was born into an Italian-Puerto Rican family and earned her law degree at Touro College after earning a scholarship.
She has practiced law in New York State for over 25 years and specializes in commercial and residential real estate.
According to her website, “She prides herself in providing exceptional service to her clients and strives to close every transaction amicably and expeditiously.”
A long-time resident of Queens, Gonzalez recently told Vision Times about how she decided to run.
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She said she was sitting in her living room one Saturday afternoon contemplating the next phase of her career, whether she wanted to retire or do something else. Her mother, who passed away three years ago, had always encouraged her to seek the bench.
The following Monday she received a call from New York community leader Martha Flores-Vazquez who told her, “We want you as our candidate,” and the hair on her arms stood up. “Mother, I know that’s you,” she said, adding that, “if it’s meant to be, it will be.”
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‘Hopefully I could make a change’
Gonzalez believes that one contribution she could make to the Queens community is through setting precedent from behind the bench.
“Because, you see, the way something is decided, if it’s not appealed, it becomes precedent and people will follow suit. So, hopefully I could make a change,” she said.
Her current practice serves a multitude of different cultures and she believes that this experience will serve her well as a judge.
“I understand cultures,” she said, adding that, “I have learned that every culture has the same common denominator, which is family. Everybody has family and family is important.”
In an email to Vision Times Gonzalez wrote, “Queens is a very diverse Borough and since I’ve been in Woodhaven, Queens for almost 30 years, I have become familiar with the need of the people,” adding that, “I have an open door policy in my office and I pride myself on making everyone who walks through my door feel comfortable.”
Concerning her practice she says, “I also represent First Time Home buyers working with Cypress Hills Development Corp., Neighborhood Restore and The Queens Bar Association Pro Bono Panel for Wills & Matrimonial Actions, so I am always working to give back to the community I serve,” adding that, “I understand diversity and I know that while we are diverse we are also very similar in that we all possess the common core values of Family and hard work.”
She declined to comment when asked about the direction the overall country was taking and instead focused on her immediate community, telling Vision Times that her priority is to “be focused on the law” and that her main goal “is to interpret the law fairly and treat each case as an individual.”
“I pride myself on understanding the needs of the people. Everybody’s different, everybody’s culture is different,” she said, adding that, “Everyone [who] walks [through my] door, they don’t feel intimidated, they feel comfortable because they are able to sit down and … feel like they are talking to a friend, which is nice. And that’s how I built my practice.”
‘Sharp as a tack’
Gonzalez’s clients rave about her service.
“Sharp as a tack. She’ll fight for you at the table … she’s worth every penny!” one client commented. Another said, “I’ve known Marianne for many years, and she has proven herself to be an honest and knowledgeable attorney. I highly recommend Marianne Gonzalez to anyone needing legal advice. Thankyou Marianne for your legal advice.”
“She possesses strong core values, integrity and commitment to personal service. Her main focus is to help people achieve their goals. She is very passionate about her work and feels fortunate to do what she loves and loves what she does!” her website reads.
When she is not trying cases, or providing legal advice to her clients she enjoys spending time with family and friends and enjoys the outdoors.
The primary will occur on June 27, 2023. The general election will occur on November 7, 2023.
Gonzalez’s office is located at 95-07 Jamaica Avenue Jamaica, NY and she can be reached by phone at (718) 850-6969.
