The residents of Westchester County have the opportunity to vote to fill 6 Judicial spots this election on November 5, two seats on the Westchester County Court, and 4 seats on the New York State Supreme Court in the 9th Judicial District, which includes Westchester.
Four candidates are running for two seats on the Westchester County Court. Robert Prisco was nominated by Westchester democrats and also won the democratic primary in June. Melissa Loehr also won the democratic primary and is the other democrat running for county court, with Chris McClure running on the republican line and Michael Tawil running on the Working Families Party line.
Robert Prisco has 32 years of experience working in the Westchester County District Attorney’s office, and 27 years of trying cases to verdict in Westchester County Court. Prisco was also the only county court candidate found to be well qualified, the highest rating, by the Westchester County Bar Association.
Five candidates are running for four Supreme Court seats in the 9th Judicial District, which includes Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, and Rockland counties. Four democrats are running both on their own accomplishments, and as a team of qualified, impartial and experience judges.
Judge Nancy Quinn Koba is an Ossining resident and currently an Ossining Town Justice, where she has served since 2009, adjudicating over 15,000 matters including criminal, landlord/tenant, small claims, civil, parking and traffic cases. Judge Koba also implemented the consolidation of the Village of Ossining Justice Court and the Town of Ossining Justice Court.
Koba also has experience working at Westchester Legal Services assisting with landlord tenant matters. She obtained a full-time position with Legal Services shortly after she graduated from law school, and she zealously represented clients who were facing eviction.
Thereafter, Nancy has worked in private practice. She has over thirty-two years’ experience as a civil litigator in the Supreme Court and has practiced in all the counties in the Ninth Judicial District, and currently works as a partner in the law firm of Wood Smith Henning & Berman.
MPAC in their endorsement of Judge Koba wrote, “Judge Quinn Koba has 33 years of legal experience as a civil litigation attorney. She had practiced in all state courts of the 9th Judicial District. This experience, in addition to her decade of Judicial experience, serving as a Village Justice in Ossining make her an excellent candidate to serve as Justice of the NYS Supreme Court.”
Judge Gina Capone is looking to make history in becoming the first female Supreme Court Judge from Putnam County. Since 2001, Judge Capone has served as Putnam Valley Town Justice, and has presided over thousands of cases, on a wide array of topics, including Criminal and Civil Cases, Penal Law, Misdemeanors, Felony Hearings, DWI, Civil Cases, Small Claim, Landlord/Tenant, Vehicle and Traffic, Building Code Cases, Motions, Pre-trial motions, Conduct legal research, Conduct Hearings, Trials and Settlement Conferences, Render Decisions in Criminal and Civil matters.
“It would be my privilege and honor to be elected s the first female Supreme Court Justice to be elected out of Putnam County, and be a part of a more diversified Supreme Court,” said Judge Capone.
MPAC said of Judge Capone, “With nearly twenty years of Judicial experience, the decision to endorse Judge Capone’s candidacy was an easy one. Her legal career, practicing in the fields of matrimonial, family, real estate and criminal law, provide her with a wide breadth of knowledge that make her uniquely qualified to serve on this bench.”
Capone has also received the endorsement from Ed Doyle and the Westchester-Putnam Building and Trades Council, and the Westchester County Corrections Superior Officers Association.
Judge Steven Milligram currently serves as a Town Justice in Monroe, where he has served since 2012. The Mediterranean Political Action Committee, MPAC, said in its endorsement of Milligram, “Judge Milligram has had a long career as a highly regarded litigator, trial attorney, and health care attorney. He has earned his reputation, and is widely acknowledged to be a skilled and thoughtful attorney. His near decade of judicial experience, in addition to his trial experience, make him an excellent fit for NYS Supreme Court Justice.” Milligram also has the endorsement from the NYS Troopers PBA.
Judge Lewis Lubell is the one democrat running for re-election to the NYS Supreme Court. Judge Lubell was elected to the NYS Supreme Court in 2006, and his term ends this year, 2019. Prior to that, Judge Lubell served as Acting Justice in the Village of Ardsley from 2003 to 2005.
Judge Lubell’s experience as a State Supreme Court Judge has earned him the respect of those who have appeared in his courtroom. Criminal defense lawyers say that Judge Lubell is “One of the best judges I have seen in over 25 years of practice. Intellectually smart, with a wonderful judicial temperament who has actually tried cases himself.
Judge Lubell said, “It is my desire to continue to serve the people of this district with professionalism, integrity and fairness as your Supreme Court Justice.”
Republican Judge Robert Freehill rounds out the candidates for NYS Supreme Court. Judge Freehill is an Orange County native and currently serves on the Orange County Court. Prior to being elected to the Orange County Court in 2006, Judge Freehill served as a Town Judge in the Town of Walkill from 1985-2006. He also serves as an acting Supreme Court Judge in the 9th JD.
Get out and vote November 5th or participate in early voting starting October 26.
