Matthew Kiernan Appointed as Suffolk County District Court Judge

The Suffolk County Legislature confirmed Matthew G. Kiernan as a District Court judge for the Third Judicial District on March 10, 2026, filling a vacancy on a bench that serves communities including Cold Spring Harbor. Resolution No. 113-2026 formalized the appointment, which the County Executive initiated under Section 103(f) of the New York Uniform District Court Act, with Legislator Kennedy among those who brought the measure forward.

Kiernan's term runs through December 31, 2026. The resolution had been introduced as Intro. Res. No. 1160-2026 and was first laid on the table February 3 before advancing to a full confirmation vote.

The new judge brings more than three decades of legal experience rooted almost entirely in Suffolk County and New York State court administration. He began his career as an Assistant Town Attorney for the Town of Southold from 1989 to 1993, during which time he also served concurrently as a Special Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, prosecuting violations of the Southold Town Code in Town Justice Court and drafting local ordinances. From 1994 to 1998 he served as Principal Law Clerk at the Surrogate's Court in Suffolk County.

Kiernan held the position of Public Administrator of Suffolk County on two separate occasions, first from 1998 to 2002 and again from 2018 to 2023, each time appointed by the Surrogate's Court. In that role he acted as fiduciary for hundreds of estates and guardianships, marshaling estate assets, paying creditors, searching for heirs, making distributions to beneficiaries, and coordinating estate administration and litigation with outside counsel.

Between those two tenures as Public Administrator, Kiernan rose to the highest non-judicial position in the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. He served as Director of Professional Services and Associate Deputy Clerk of the Court from 2002 to 2010, then as Clerk of the Court from 2010 to 2011. From 2011 to 2016 he was Special Counsel to Judge Gail Prudenti when she served as Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York, advising on the administration of a court system encompassing 3,500 judges, more than 15,000 personnel, and a budget exceeding two billion dollars.

Kiernan also served from 2016 to 2018 at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, where he held positions as Associate Dean of Academic Operations, Faculty Administrative Editor of the Family Court Review, and Adjunct Professor teaching the Family Court Review Seminar and the Guardianship 17-A Practicum.

Prior to his judgeship appointment, Kiernan had joined Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. as Counsel, a move the firm described as part of its expansion of Trust and Estates and Elder Law practices. "His distinguished and longstanding commitment to serving Suffolk County and New York state along with his exceptional trust and estate and guardianship work is a significant boon for the firm and for our clients," said Nancy Burner, the firm's Founding Partner. Judge Gail Prudenti, now a Partner at the same firm, added: "I'm so pleased to be working with Matthew again. He is an outstanding lawyer and problem solver who will work tirelessly for our clients."

The Suffolk County Legislature's resolution also classified the confirmation as a Type II action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, citing 6 NYCRR Section 617.5(c)(26) and (33), directing the Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality to circulate any applicable notices of non-applicability or non-significance.