What is Waterman Watch?

Waterman Watch is a coalition of individuals concerned about alleged misconduct in New York City matrimonial courts, especially by Judge Kathleen Waterman-Marshall.

Many of us had cases involving Judge Waterman-Marshall and lived through her reported bias: wealthy, prominent or powerful litigants and their attorneys consistently received preferential treatment regardless of facts, law or evidence.

This environment of alleged favoritism caused unnecessarily long, destructive and high-conflict divorces. Wealthy parties, already free from consequences under her, grew more and more emboldened to flout court orders, ignore judgments, disregard settlements and snub custody schedules.

Many of us filed formal complaints against Judge Waterman-Marshall. A subsequent analysis of nearly 50 cases and 450 decisions revealed that the less prominent litigant reportedly lost nearly 91% of the time in her court. There appeared to be a systemic pattern of alleged misconduct.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

In August 2024, Emmy Award-winning NBC News journalist Sarah Wallace aired two segments about Judge Waterman-Marshall and allegations of misconduct.

Beginning in September 2024, a series of articles appeared in the New York Law Journal to defend Judge Waterman-Marshall. The authors and co-signatories were many of New York City’s prominent matrimonial attorneys, some of whom allegedly benefitted from her preferential treatment.

We authored a detailed rebuttal to those defending her. It was written after the New York Law Journal accepted our request to respond to those articles. However, the editor ultimately ceased communication, and our rebuttal was not published. Therefore, we published it on this platform.

We believe our continued advocacy, from filing complaints to petitioning court administration and elected officials, made an impact.

In January 2025, Judge Waterman-Marshall was transferred away from divorce proceedings. Two new judges, Linda Capitti and Aija Tingling, assumed most of her matrimonial cases.

Excerpt from court press release

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

We believe that publicity, disciplinary actions, and legislative reforms are key to ensuring accountability and change. Therefore, we believe that people should continue to come forward and advocate for change:

• Sign the petition calling for her removal from the bench.
• Contact us at watermanlitigants@proton.me to share your experience or explore potential misconduct in your case.
• File a formal complaint with the New York Commission on Judicial Conduct.

While we have not published individual complaints, we have compiled and published a series of “ joint complaints.” These highlight patterns of alleged misconduct across many cases. As a sample:

• One complaint detailed instances where litigants were allegedly wrongly subject to imprisonment at Rikers Island.
• Another complaint outlined times when Judge Waterman-Marshall allegedly demeaned, harassed or threatened less powerful litigants or their attorneys.
• Another complaint revealed how Judge Waterman-Marshall allegedly ensured that powerful law firms would allegedly reap millions of dollars from the less prominent litigants.

While it appears that Judge Waterman-Marshall was removed from matrimonial matters, she continues to sit on the bench apparently handling general civil matters. Despite serving in this new capacity for only two months, parties from these cases have already reached out with similar stories of alleged misconduct.

We believe that the lack of real consequence — the complete removal from the bench — has allegedly emboldened her misconduct to continue.

Your experience and complaint may help to ensure that she is no longer allowed to sit on any bench nor practice law in New York. Your advocacy may ensure that no other litigants ever have to suffer Judge Waterman-Marshall’s alleged bias again.

Thank you.

Originally published at https://watermanwatch.substack.com.