Judge+Newman

Today I interviewed Judge Newman. He is one of the judges of Sloatsburg. There are two judges named Mr. Newman and Mr. Jefferson. They both work in the village hall. Inside there is a court room. They both reside in Sloatsburg with their families.

Judge Newman works part-time as a judge and works full-time as an attorney. Court is held every Monday and Wednesday night. His responsibilities are that he has to be “the umpire” and try to decide who is telling the truth. He also has the authority to put people in jail for up to one year and also to marry a couple. He helps the village because for every ticket that is paid, the village receives half the fine. Judge Newman also has two very good clerks that help him: Mrs. Cush and Mrs. Kelley

Judge Newman went to college, then to law school. He was elected, not appointed as a judge. He has been a judge in Sloatsburg for the past twenty-seven years. He told me you don’t have to be an attorney to be a judge in New York State. Judge Newman told me a story that when he was in the courtroom, a lunatic person ran in and shot a gun at him. Thank God, it hit the bench where he sits and bounced off and into the wall. Now the village hall is in the process of installing more security so Judge Newman is safe and so is anyone who enters the village hall.

When Judge Newman is sick or when one of his relatives has to go to court, Judge Jefferson fills in. He has been doing this for the past three years. Judge Jefferson also does this job part-time and is an attorney full-time. He was appointed as a judge, not elected to be a judge in Sloatsburg. I interviewed Judge Jefferson in school. Judge Newman and Judge Jefferson share the same responsibilities as the two judges for our village. I found both my interviews with these men very interesting and informative.