In memory of former NY Supreme Court justice Tolub

The Honorable Walter B. Tolub (ret.), a New York State Supreme Court justice known for his sharp intellect and his warmth toward everyone who came before him, died unexpectedly July 13. He was 85.

Born in New York City Sept. 1, 1940, Walter Tolub grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and attended Stuyvesant High School before enrolling at New York University, where he met his wife, Marjory. After earning his law degree at NYU Law School, he served as Assistant Counsel to the New York City Department of Relocation. He later served as law secretary to New York State Supreme Court Justices Michael Dontzin, Harold Baer, Sr. and Harry Nussbaum. Shortly after his election to New York City Civil Court in 1990, Judge Tolub was designated an acting justice of the Supreme Court, First Judicial District, a role he held for 18 of his 20 years on the bench, presiding over thousands of civil matters addressing nearly every area of New York law. 

During his career, Judge Tolub presided over public high-profile cases. His most meaningful and memorable cases, however, involved those with issues that directly impacted the lives of everyday New Yorkers. These include, but are not limited to decisions he issued in the late 1990s and early 2000s which changed how the courts weigh nonfinancial spousal contributions in marriage and led to the creation of New York’s equitable distribution law, and his decisions in two different condemnation cases later in his tenure which played a key role in the long-awaited construction and completion of the Second Avenue Subway and the Fulton Street Transit Center, both of which he often said he never expected to see completed in his lifetime.

Members of the Bench and bar knew Judge Tolub for his judicial temperament, his patience, his thorough decisions, and his sense of humor. He was also known for his ability to announce his presence before entering any room, whistling cheerfully through the halls of 60 Centre St. 

Outside of the courts, Walter Tolub was a longtime member of Congregation CSAIR in Riverdale, serving two terms as president over more than 50 years of active involvement in synagogue life. He was proud of his heritage, his family and his community. Those who knew him describe him simply as a mensch, a man who treated no request as unworthy, no question as unintelligent, who told people what they needed to hear rather than what they wanted to hear, and who had a rare gift for making everyone around him always feel seen, heard, included and remembered.

Walter Tolub is survived by Marjory, his wife of 61 years; his sons, Benjamin (and Rachel) and Joshua (and Tabitha); his sister, Gloria Friedland; and his grandchildren, Eliana, Sammy (and Hannah), Hadassah (and Jacob), Robin and Tovah.

Should you wish to donate to a charity in Walter’s memory, the family requests that you consider CSAIR at CSAIR.org.