John L Kase

A 1967 graduate of St. John’s University School of Law, John began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County. He then served as a Special Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Organized Crime and Racketeering Strike Force. He was an Assistant Attorney General for the New York State Organized Crime Task Force and was appointed Assistant District Attorney in Nassau County, where he was Chief of the District Court Bureau, Narcotics Bureau and the Rackets Bureau.

In 1978, he co-founded Kase & Druker with James O. Druker. They were colleagues at the Nassau County District Attorney's Office where they served as chiefs of the Narcotics, District Court, Rackets and Frauds Bureaus. John was senior partner at Kase & Druker for 26 years before being elected to the Nassau County Criminal Court, beginning his term in January 2005. He was appointed supervising judge in January 2012 by Chief Administrative Judge A. Gail Prudenti. He stepped down from the bench on Dec. 31, 2012, at age 70 due to the state’s mandatory retirement law.

He returned to Kase & Druker in 2013 and practiced with Mr. Druker and his daughter, Elizabeth S. Kase, at the firm until his retirement in 2019. In addition to local, state and federal courts in the U.S., Judge Kase’s career brought him to the World Court in The Hague; European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France; and courts in Israel, Bermuda and Austria, to name a few.

He was involved with various professional and community organizations including the American Inns of Court, Theodore Roosevelt Chapter, where he was a past President of the Board of Directors. Previous positions included: President, Temple Emanuel of Great Neck; Secretary, Board of Directors, Nassau County Bar Association; President, Former District Attorney’s Association; and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Nassau County Bar Association. He was recognized by many groups as an accomplished trial attorney and a respected jurist. He also wrote and lectured frequently on matters of criminal procedure and jurisprudence.

John was focused, fearless, and fiercely loyal. He had impeccable comedic timing. A trend setter, a world traveler, and a music lover; he was a limitless provider and the most proud father and grandfather. He will be greatly missed.

John is survived by his daughters, Elizabeth S. Kase and Marjorie Kase, sons-in-law Craig M. Johnson and Daniel Rubin, and his grandchildren Benjamin, Samuel, and Lucy Johnson and a legion of friends and colleagues who will remember his lust for life.

Funeral services will take place on Sunday, April 21st at 2:30 p.m. at Temple Emanuel of Great Neck, 150 Hicks Lane, Great Neck, NY