Hon. Catherine Fitzpatrick, J.S.C. (Ret.), is a Family Law Mediator at Stark & Stark. For ten years, Judge Fitzpatrick was the Presiding Judge of the Family Part in Mercer County and retired in 2021. Before being appointed to the Bench in June 2009, she practiced family law for 27 years in Lawrenceville. She was a certified Matrimonial Law Attorney while in private practice. During her 12 years in the Family Division, Judge Fitzpatrick primarily handled divorces, including issues of custody and parenting time, child support and alimony, and division of assets. She also handled post-judgment matters that included cohabitation claims and increases and decreases in alimony and child support. While on the bench, Judge Fitzpatrick successfully worked with the attorneys and the litigants to settle their cases and avoid costly and emotionally draining trials.
Judge Fitzpatrick made her Stark & Stark debut in 1977, when she worked for the firm as a paralegal. After law school, she went on to practice as an attorney at Hofing & Buckley, followed by her position as a Partner at Lefkowitz, O’Hara & Fitzpatrick, a matrimonial firm. After over a decade, she started her own practice, the Law Offices of Catherine Fitzpatrick while also serving as Counsel for the Mercer County Board of Social Services handling alimony and child support applications for the Board.
Judge Fitzpatrick has received many honors, including the 2006 Mercer County Professional Lawyer of the Year award. She was President of the Mercer County Bar Association in 2002 and served on various New Jersey Supreme Court Committees while in private practice and on the bench. She brought her considerable experience to improve law practice for family lawyers.
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