Justice Nicholas M. Pette was born around the year 1891. Prior to his career on the bench, he served as an Assemblyman in Queens. In March 1921, he introduced a bill to the Assembly to add a new section to the penal law concerning gambling, with the purpose of clarifying the definition of bookmaking not done in writing.
Pette served on the Queens Municipal Court from 1931 until 1950, when he was appointed by Governor Dewey to the State Supreme Court for the Tenth Judicial District. Justice Pette was designated to the Appellate Division, Second Department in 1959. He retired from the bench in 1967 and thereafter served as counsel to the firm of Lipsig, Liapakis & Sullivan until the year preceding his death.
He was married to Ruth and had one child and two stepchildren. He died on December 26, 1988 in Manhattan at the age of 97.
Sources
“Justice Pette is Sworn in.” New York Times (1923-Current file): 18. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2008). Jan 26 1950. Web. 12 June 2012.
“New Bookmaking Law is Reported.” New York Times (1857-1922): 24. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2008). Apr 13 1921. Web. 12 June 2012.
“Nicholas M. Pette.” New York Times (1923-Current file): B5. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2008). Dec 28 1988. Web. 12 June 2012.