Clerks of the Court (Historical)

Catherine O'Hagan Wolfe

Clerk of the Court: 1994 - 2007
Born: 1955

Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe was born in 1955, in Brooklyn, to Catherine, nee Tully, and John T. O’Hagan. During her youth, John O’Hagan served as the New York City Fire Department Chief of Department and Fire Commissioner from 1964 to 1978. Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe graduated cum laude with a B.A. in history from Holy Cross College in 1977 and went on to receive her J.D. from Fordham University in 1980. She was admitted to the New York Bar the following year.

From 1980-1982, she served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office. She was hired as a court attorney at the Appellate Division, First Department in March 1982, specializing in criminal law. She served as a court attorney until 1989, developing expertise in commercial law, especially the Uniform Commercial Code. In May 1989 she was elected Deputy Clerk of the Court in 1989 and held the position until 1994, when she was elected Clerk of the Court. At that time, O’Hagan Wolfe was the youngest clerk to serve by almost two decades and the first female Clerk of the First Department.

Known for her tough and thoughtful demeanor, Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe is recognized for her dedication to both tradition and innovation within the Appellate Division, First Department’s courthouse. During her tenure, the Court notably introduced electronic docketing, revamped the Special Master’s program, introduced training and performance standards for indigent representation, and established the Office of the Appellate Defender. In addition, the landmark courthouse underwent the first major exterior and interior renovation since the 1950s, an effort that required moving the judges and all court operations out of the courthouse for an extended period. During this time the Court heard oral argument at the historic Domestic Relations Court, now part of CUNY’s Baruch College campus. Her dedication to and passion for the courthouse’s restoration will be remembered with immense gratitude and respect.

In addition to her Court responsibilities, Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe has held numerous positions, both professionally and in her community. She was counsel to the Chief Judge’s Committee on the Profession and the Courts, and later served as Vice-Chair of the NYS Institute on Professionalism and the Courts. For many years she was active at the NYC Bar Association as a member or chair of various committees. The New York County Lawyers Association awarded her the Williams Nelson Cromwell Award. For many years she has been active at the Church of St. Francis Xavier.

In June 2007, Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe was elected Clerk of Court at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Upon her appointment, Second Circuit Chief Judge Dennis Jacob stated, “Ms. Wolfe is tremendously talented and brings a wealth of experience to the court.”

Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe is married and the mother of three children.

*This biography was written by Kaleigh McCormick in June of 2019. At the time of authorship, Ms. McCormick was a rising sophomore at Columbia University in New York, NY.

Sources:
“40 Under 40 Class of 1995,” Crain’s New York Business