Judges Ellen Gesmer and David Friedman, who last year publicly challenged Chief Judge Janet DiFiore by filing a lawsuit in a last-resort effort to keep their jobs, will return to their former mid-level appellate bench, a source familiar with the matter told the Law Journal.

Gesmer and Friedman were both initially forced off the bench through a highly controversial austerity measure implemented by DiFiore and other judicial officials. The austerity measure came as the DiFiore administration went forward with deep budget cuts at the direction of ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s team.