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S. Samuel DiFalco (July 26, 1906 – June 28, 1978) was a 
Born in Italy, DiFalco was a Democrat who attempted a run for
The Political Graveyard: Politicians in Trouble or Disgrace: New York
*''The New York Times'', February 6, 1978. 1906 births 1978 deaths Lawyers from New York City New York (state) Democrats New York (state) state court judges 20th-century American judges 20th-century American lawyers {{NewYork-state-judge-stub
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...
Justice and surrogate court judge.
Born in Italy, DiFalco was a Democrat who attempted a run for State Assembly
State Assembly is the name given to various legislatures, especially lower houses or full legislatures in states in federal systems of government.
Channel Islands
States Assembly is the name of the legislature of the Bailiwick of Jersey. The Baili ...
in 1935. He became a justice of the New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...
in 1949, and was later elected to New York Surrogate Court. DiFalco was a member of Tammany Hall. In the 1967 constitutional convention Constitutional convention may refer to:
* Constitutional convention (political custom), an informal and uncodified procedural agreement
*Constitutional convention (political meeting), a meeting of delegates to adopt a new constitution or revise an e ...
, DiFalco successfully opposed an effort to abolish the surrogate court and merge its jurisdiction into the state supreme court. In May 1976, he was indicted along with Justice Irving H. Saypol
Irving Howard Saypol (September 3, 1905 – June 30, 1977) was a United States attorney for the Southern District of New York and New York Supreme Court Justice. He was involved in several high-profile Communist prosecutions, including the Alge ...
on official misconduct charges in an alleged scheme to obtain appraisal and auction commission funds for Saypol's son; the charges were dismissed. In February 1978, DiFalco was again indicted, this time for criminal contempt in connection with stating to a grand jury
A grand jury is a jury—a group of citizens—empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a pe ...
that he could not remember having spoken to an assistant about arranging favorable rulings for his son's law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to r ...
. Before the case went to trial, DiFalco died of a heart attack at age 71 while dining with friends at the Columbus Club in Manhattan. He was survived by his wife Emma and his two children, Anthony and Elisa. DiFalco was interred at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, N.Y.
Sources
The Political Graveyard: Politicians in Trouble or Disgrace: New York
*''The New York Times'', February 6, 1978. 1906 births 1978 deaths Lawyers from New York City New York (state) Democrats New York (state) state court judges 20th-century American judges 20th-century American lawyers {{NewYork-state-judge-stub