Judges welcome LaBuda to the bench By TOM RUE
MONTICELLO - Sullivan's county and state level judges turned out in full court for the inauguration of newly-elected county court judge Frank J. LaBuda to a 10-year term of office, December 29 at the county court house.
In a ceremony administered by retired chief judge Lawrence H. Cooke of the NYS Court of Appeals, LaBuda took the post with humility. "I'm honored yet humbled to see so many of you here today. You must have thought this would be a swearing-at ceremony, not a swearing-in ceremony," he joked.
In front of the 47-year-old LaBuda were his wife Kathleen, four children, and father Frank, Sr. Also present were supreme court justice Anthony Kane, family court judge Mark Meddaugh, Orange County judge Thomas Byrne (who has often filled in as acting judge in Sullivan), sheriff Joseph Wasser, district attorney Stephen Lungen, county clerk George Cooke, treasurer Daniel Briggs, and others. The ceremony was open to the public. Around 200 crammed the court-room, despite its posted capacity of 88.
Lawrence Cooke stressed judges' role in maintaining public confidence in American government. "To the average citizen, a government is as good as its courts. No better, no worse," he said. Cooke summed up the history of Sullivan's county court, which began as a Court of Common Pleas in 1809 with the county's founding. The office became an elected one in 1847 and was titled Sullivan County Court, Cooke noted.
Kane admonished LaBuda "to do that which is just, treating all who come before you, no matter their station in life, with respect, with consistency, and according to the rule of law."
Robes were presented to LaBuda by Sullivan County Bar Association president Fred Schadt, "together with the association's congratulations."
Outgoing judge Burton Ledina -- still clad in his own black robes -- said he is hopeful of being reappointed by Gov. George Pataki to a newly created second county court position. "I've applied and I'm just waiting to hear. That's all I know," he told a reporter.
Monticello village justice Robert Kesten has also reportedly expressed interest in the position, but could not be reached to confirm this. Ledina and Kesten are both Republicans. LaBuda is now the sole Democratic judge in the Sullivan County court house.
Ledina -- who lost the county-wide election by little more than 2000 votes -- remained dignified and cordial throughout the ceremony. "Believe it or not, it is a pleasure to be here to see this day," he began, urging LaBuda to heed Meddaugh's recommendation that he get a flu shot. "The flu bug has absolutely no respect for these black robes," Meddaugh said, admitting that judges suffer all the frailties of the human condition.
"Litigants expect you to know all the answers, but sometimes there are no correct answers," Meddaugh said. Judges must be willing to render decisions which may be unpopular, he added. Kane and Meddaugh both offered to assist LaBuda during his adjustment period.
Prayers for the occasion were offered by LaBuda's priest, Father Pat McGuigan of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Bloomingburg; and Rabbi Abba Garelick, dean of Yeshiva Zichron Moshe of South Fallsburg.
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