Are there any improvements to be made in the way that New Paltz town court administers justice? What are they?
I think we’re doing a very good job with the way we’re handling the cases in New Paltz. I mean, I’ve been at this for 18 years. So what I think we need is a better facility.
The one we have is old, it’s run down, it’s an unhealthy environment really for the staff and it’s not up to acceptable standards.
We can handle operating under the current circumstances. It’s just not ideal. And the handicap situation is really not — we did not have handicapped access until the town was sued several years ago. And that was the only way we were able to get a lift for people.
But we don’t have the staffing now to operate the lift the way it’s supposed to be done. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but people have to notify us they need the lift. First of all, they’re outside. So they have to even know that there is a lift. There’s no telephone there for them to contact court personnel. So we have it, but it’s not really practically available to people the way they set it up.
We used to have to go down — I did anyway — and take testimony from people who couldn’t get up to the courthouse from people sitting in their cars. We’d bring a stenographer down. We’d swear them in and take that testimony there. Now at least we have the capacity to bring people up into the courtroom. But it’s not an ideal situation.
Richard LaRose
Why did you decide to run for election?
I am putting roots down in New Paltz and — like many of our residents — I would like to put my particular skills and experience to use in advancing the best interests of our town. When I learned that the incumbent has run unopposed since 2001, I decided to get involved.
One of the most cherished freedoms that we enjoy in our country is the freedom of choice. I’m not part of the Democratic political machine in New Paltz and there is a large portion of our town that feels unrepresented and has no voice. They are drowned out by the roar of machine politics. I’m running for town justice to give New Paltz a choice, a qualified alternative, a chance to say no to the status quo.
What would make you a good town court justice? What other legal experience do you have? What makes you the kind of person people should vote for?
What you see is what you get. I am a practical person and believe that people appreciate a practical application of the law, especially when it has a direct impact on their lives or property.
I am a practicing attorney and have been for the last 15 years. I have appeared in courts from Plattsburgh to White Plains. There are not many places along the Route 87 corridor where I have not appeared. This has given me great insight, through direct involvement, into how courts are run throughout our state. My plan is to take the best of what works and bring that to New Paltz.
One of the primary duties of my full-time job is the cross-examination of witnesses. Over 15 years, I have done this thousands of times, both with expert witnesses and lay witnesses. You develop a very good sense of when someone is trying to sell you a bill of goods, whether it’s a witness, or an adversary. That is something very useful to bring to the position of town justice.
Also, I do not practice law within the town or village of New Paltz. People who appear before me can be confident that I do not have pre-conceived judgments or bias towards any particular party and will apply the law with consistency.
One of the terms we often hear at election time is judicial transparency. Voters call for it and candidates promise it, but it seems that they are rarely talking about the same thing. For me, it is simple. Say what you mean and do what you say. Follow through with your responsibilities, and above all be accountable.
These are a few of the reasons why I’m asking the residents of New Paltz to Vote LaRose on Nov. 5.
As a college town, New Paltz gets a good share of drug and alcohol offenses — sometimes involving underage teens and college students. How lenient should a judge in a university town be when weighing the future of undergrads? How would a prior offense of lack thereof influence your judgment?
Regrettably, this is not a question that I may answer. I am prohibited from providing specifics by the Rules governing Judicial Conduct, specifically Vol. XII, opinions 05-119; 94-78; 22 NYCRR 100.5 [A] [4][d].
What I can say is that I will faithfully and fairly apply the law to all cases that come before me. All of the mitigating factors listed in your question come under the umbrella of judicial discretion.
Are there any improvements to be made in the way that New Paltz town court administers justice? What are they?
Generally speaking, there are always improvements to be made, ways to make the things we do more efficient, even in our everyday lives. We want our local courts to be as user friendly as possible. One improvement may be accelerating the check-in and refining security procedures. Another may be updating the e-mail system and webpage, to promote more timely communication of ideas, information and feedback.
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