GOSHEN – Newburgh City Court Judge E. Loren Williams has been selected by the Orange County Democratic Committee to run for a seat on the State Supreme Court bench this fall.
The post was left vacant with the death of Justice Steven Milligram, who passed away from COVID-19 earlier this year.
A candidate must be endorsed at a convention of the entire Ninth Judicial District, but Orange County Democratic Party Chairman Brett Broge said his party’s backing of Williams will carry weight going forward in the nominating process because Williams, an Orange County resident, would be replacing another Orange County resident on the bench.
“As the party leaders we have come to an informal understanding that that’s how it usually works. There is nothing written in state law that says it has to work that way, but that is certainly how we worked over the last several years and I expect everyone will stick to those understandings,” he said.
The Ninth Judicial District includes the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange and Dutchess. The full nominating convention is expected to be held in August.
While Orange County Republicans have yet to select a candidate to run for the vacancy, there is speculation that Middletown City Court Judge Richard Guertin may seek the nomination.
