KINGSTON – Long-time Ulster and Dutchess County public defender Ruth Boyer, who was nominated by Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan to be the county’s next chief public defender, has been approved by the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Committee.
The committee, Thursday evening, passed Boyer’s nomination to the full legislature.
Boyer has 20 years of criminal defense experience. She has been an assistant and senior assistant public defender in both Ulster and Dutchess for 15 years, in addition to serving time as a principal law clerk in the State Supreme Court.
Boyer told the committee that during this time, where law enforcement practices are being put into question, her experience will ensure top-level defense and execution of the duties of the chief public defender.
“We are in uncharted and challenging times which have fostered overdue public discourse about criminal justice reform and the important areas of the law, governing bail and the discovery process,” said Boyer. “I am confident that my experience and skills, along with those of the entire, dedicated public defender’s staff, will provide the highest level of legal representation to our clients, resulting in an atmosphere of increased community confidence and trust,” she said.
Outlining her goals for the office, Boyle said she wants to embrace restorative justice, increase training for all staff within the office and possibly create bureaus within the office, such as a family court bureau, to afford better supervision, experience, and more focused attention to differing cases.
Boyer will appear before the Ulster County Legislature at their next session for confirmation.
