Judges Whelan and Joseph may be contenders for top Family Court spot

Suffolk County Family Court Judge Theresa Whelan is a contender to succeed David Freundlich as supervising judge of the court, but she may be facing competition from recently appointed Court of Claims Judge Cheryl Joseph, who has been sitting in Family Court.

Whelan is half of a judicial power couple — her husband, Thomas Whelan, is a state Supreme Court justice and longtime friend of state and Suffolk Independence Party chairman Frank MacKay. She is also the daughter of Joan Bryant, now retired, who for years was a major Suffolk Democratic fundraiser for late former state and Suffolk party leader Dominic Baranello.

Only last June, Joseph, of Amityville, was named by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo as a Court of Claims judge. Some insiders say Whelan’s chances for the top Family Court spot could be affected by her husband’s connection to a controversial case involving Oheka Castle owner Gary Melius.