About Judge Mary M. Tarantelli
APRIL 2021
Hon. Mary M. Tarantelli was elected to the New York State Family Court Bench for Chemung County in 2014 after practicing in Family Court for fifteen years.
“CASA is an invaluable resource able to see children more often and in their own environment. Their support for children is not clouded by evidentiary standards, agency regulations and statutory requirements. CASA reminds all of us in the courtroom that these are children, not docket numbers, and they need more than to be kept safe. CASA provides the details and solutions that are often overlooked in child welfare cases due to the sheer number of “cooks in the courtroom” who are more focused on meeting legal requirements. CASA offers solutions, sometimes by stating what should be obvious but is somehow lost, despite the calvary of participants ... parents, parent attorneys, agency attorneys, child attorneys, caseworkers, counselors, program providers, investigators, fostering family, extended family. CASA is the reminder to the court to slow down and see, hear the child. ”
Prior to taking the bench, her primary practice was representation of children. She served as the Liaison to the Appellate Division, Third Department Attorney for the Child program. In addition to her private practice Judge Tarantelli worked as an Assistant District Attorney with Justice Court assignments but also as a support to the other district attorneys in their involvement with child victims, witnesses and cases intertwined with family issues.
Upon taking the bench, in addition to other committees and panels including the Pro Bono Committee for the 6th District and NSYBA Rural Justice Task Force, she serves on the Attorneys for Children Advisory Committee for the Third Department. Most of Judge Tarantelli's cases involve child welfare in which she has sought the integration of outside supports and agencies as well ascollaboration amongst the court providers to optimize the services provided to children. To a great extent this includes CASA.
Judge Tarantelli first became a proponent of CASA in her years as a practicing attorney while representing children, appreciating CASA's exhaustive involvement with the family and keen insight into the needs of the child. Judge Tarantelli appreciated CASA's representation of children as uninfluenced and burdened by the court and agency protocols.
Charlene Johnson, who as the Executive Director of CASA of the Southern Tier, which includes Chemung County, works closely with Judge Tarantelli and shares the following:
“Judge T, as we call her, is a pleasure to work with. She treats everyone in her courtroom with much respect. Judge T will strive to get the “ big picture” from all sources and is truly invested in bringing the best and most positive outcome for the children and the parents in her courtroom. Chemung County is fortunate to have Judge T, sitting on the “bench” and the local CASA program is appreciative of her supportive vision in regards to child advocates!”
As the only Family Court Judge in Chemung County she presides over custody, visitation, family offenses, and juvenile delinquency matters in addition to child welfare cases and attributes the many successes they have had to her hardworking court attorney, secretary, team of clerks, attorneys and providers.
Judge Tarantelli resides in Elmira, New York with her husband and daughter.