TOWN OF WASHINGTON – The Washington Town Board is seeking to eliminate one of the two town justice positions citing the excessive cost of having two town judges. The court presides over all cases in the town as well as the Village of Millbrook.
“The expenses to operate the Justice Court in the Town of Washington have exceeded the revenue obtained from the operation of the court on an annual basis for many consecutive years,” according to the resolution approved by the town board on July 20, 2023. The resolution is subject to a permissive referendum. If no petition for a public vote on the plan is received by the undisclosed deadline, the resolution will go into effect on August 20, 2023. Information on petitioning for a public referendum can be obtained from Town Clerk Mary Alex.
Town Judge Elizabeth “Betsy” Shequine, who was first appointed to the position in 1978 and has been re-elected many times, is retiring after 46 years as a judge on December 31, 2023, when her term expires. Town Judge Jeff Feigelson is expected to be resigning next month, prior to the end of his term. The town board is responsible for selecting a replacement for Feigelson and will solicit applicants in the near future. The appointment will serve through the end of 2023.
At the July 19th public hearing, Judge Shequine advised that the judge position “may become one that nobody wants,” because judges need to be available around the clock for arraignments. When there are two judges, the arraignment schedule rotates. Under the new plan, the town will rely on judges in neighboring towns to assist with arraignments. The town currently relies on judges in Amenia, Stanford, and Pleasant Valley for assistance. The Washington Town Attorney that drafted the resolution, Jeff Battistoni, is one of the two judges in Pleasant Valley.
Shequine also opined on the qualifications for the person that will be appointed to the vacancy. “I think if you are going to have a judge – it should be a lawyer.” Shequine has been a practicing attorney since being admitted to the New York State Bar in 1975.
