Hon. Christina L. Ryba ’01 Named as Additional Justice of Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Third Department

Albany Law School congratulates the Hon. Christina L. Ryba ’01 on her designation to serve as an Additional Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Third Department.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced Justice Ryba’s designation. 

“Today, I’m strengthening New York’s Appellate Courts by announcing the designations of two women whose legal expertise, judicial temperament and commitment to justice will ensure New York’s laws are applied fairly and correctly,” Governor Hochul said in a news release. “With the appointment of Justice Ottley and Justice Ryba, our courts will continue to uphold the public trust and serve as places of integrity and justice for all New Yorkers.”
The Honorable Christine L. Ryba is the first Black person ever elected to the Supreme Court in the Third Department and will be the first Black justice elected from the Third Department to serve on the Appellate Division.

Justice Ryba was elected in 2015 to serve as a New York State Supreme Court Justice in the Third Judicial District, and in May 2025 she was appointed Administrative Judge of the District. Prior to this role, she served as Supervising Judge of the Supreme Court in the Third Judicial District. She currently serves as co-chair of the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice, the mission of which is to ensure equal access to justice in New York State.

Before taking the bench, Justice Ryba worked for the state courts in a variety of positions, including Special Projects Counsel to the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Courts Outside New York City and Special Projects Counsel to the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, Third Department. She also served as an Assistant Attorney General, attorney for the City of Albany, and an Associate at Nixon Peabody. 

Justice Ryba is president-elect of the Association of Justices of the Supreme Court of the State of New York; member of the New York Women Judges Association and Judicial Friends Association; past president of the Albany County Bar Foundation and the Albany County Bar Association; member of the American Bar Association; and Chair of the Judicial Hearing Officer Selection Advisory Committee of the Third Department. 

Justice Ryba has been an active member of the Albany Law School community since her graduation in 2001. She is a Trustee Emerita on the Albany Law Board of Trustees, a past president of the National Alumni Association, served on the most recent President and Dean search committee, has issued the oath of professionalism to our new students, judged moot court competitions, offered internships to our students, and often attends orientation and networking events. She was honored, along with several other alumni and members of the Albany Law community, by the National Black Law School Association as one of the most influential black attorneys in the northeast in a ceremony in February of 2025. In November 2025, she was also honored with the Donald D. DeAngelis ’60 Excellence in Alumni Service Award, as part of Albany Law School’s annual Grand Honors awards. 

Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division Elizabeth Garry ’90 said, “On behalf of the Third Department, I thank Governor Hochul for this historic appointment. I have every confidence that Justice Ryba will continue to make great contributions to the judiciary and our community in this new and well-deserved role. Justice Ryba brings a decade of judicial service as a Supreme Court Justice, and has demonstrated her commitment to fairness and justice throughout her career, notably serving as the Co-Chair of the court system’s Permanent Commission on Access to Justice. She has earned the respect of her colleagues by her work in both legal and administrative roles, as both the Supervising Judge and ultimately the Administrative Judge overseeing court operations for the entire Third Judicial District. We look forward to working with her in the years ahead!”

“Albany Law School is incredibly proud of Justice Ryba. She is an integral part of our community and is always willing to provide support, guidance, and mentorship to our students. Her service is always appreciated and has made our community stronger,” said Albany Law School President and Dean Cinnamon Carlarne. “This designation is a true testament to her dedication to the practice of law, her ability to serve New Yorkers, and her continued commitment to lead as a trailblazer in the judiciary.”