City Court judges handle arraignments, misdemeanor criminal cases and felony hearings as well as civil cases, building violations, landlord-tenant cases, traffic and parking violations, and real estate and zoning matters.

For Hommel, a lifelong Long Beach resident who is married and has daughters, it is another chance to run for a seat he has long coveted, he said. “I’ve always been involved in the community, and had always given some thought to serving the community as City Court judge,” he said. “I ran last year and was disappointed that I lost, but I saw another opportunity here.”

A graduate of Long Beach High School, Oberlin College and Fordham University’s School of Law, Hommel said he has more than 35 years of legal experience. He has been a deputy Nassau County attorney and had a private practice, and is versed in criminal, real estate, labor and corporate law. He has also handled vehicle and traffic law, city code enforcement prosecutions, contracts and lease agreements and other municipal-law cases.

“I’ve tried criminal cases in both Nassau and Queens, and obviously, working for the corporation counsel’s office, I handled code violations,” he said. “And while I was in private practice, I handled landlord-tenant matters and other litigation that Long Beach City Court has jurisdiction over.”

Hommel said that he has also coached youth sports, and did pro bono work after Hurricane Sandy, taking part in free legal clinics at City Hall for residents who struggled after the storm.

Judicial candidates often receive little scrutiny, but Hommel made headlines last year when he filed a $1 million federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, claiming that he was fired as assistant corporation counsel just two days after he announced his run for judge. One city official, who declined to be identified, told the Herald at the time that because Hommel’s job responsibilities included representing the city in court — often in front of Tepper — his candidacy created a conflict of interest, a claim that Hommel disputed.