AMBOY – Thomas Benedetto, a life resident of Amboy and currently Court Attorney – Referee for the Fifth Judicial District, has announced his candidacy for the office of Oswego County Court Judge. Benedetto said he is seeking the position because his combined and unique experience as a court referee, law clerk, prosecutor, law guardian and defense attorney make him extremely well-qualified for the challenges of the position.
Benedetto said that in addition to hearing criminal cases, the next Oswego County Court Judge would be responsible for Family Court as a large part of their caseload and oversee the Sex Offender Management Court. His ability to work well with others, a long history of community service, and his understanding of the importance of fiscal restraint are important skills he would bring to the job, he said.
“I will work hard to make sure that County Court runs on time and efficiently in order to save taxpayers’ money and assigned counsel fees,†said Benedetto. “I will explore ways to further save money, for example, by looking into video conferencing to avoid the costs of transporting prisoners to and from court appearances.
“While each court case is important and deserves individualized attention, I believe that being a judge involves more than just what happens in court,†added Benedetto. “A judge must be involved in the community. I will do everything possible to work as a partner with other local officials. I believe we must continue to work to do more for our youth and their families. If we can prevent a family’s case from having to go to court in the first place, we not only will have helped the children and their family through a difficult time, but we will have ultimately saved a tremendous amount of the taxpayers’ money in the process.â€Â
Benedetto brings more than 25 years of experience working in the field of law, and almost 18 years experience working for the Unified Court System assigned to Family Court. In his current position as court attorney – referee, Benedetto has judicial authority to preside over domestic violence cases, primarily in Onondaga County, but also may hear cases in all six counties of the Fifth Judicial District, as well as matters involving neglected and abused children in Syracuse.
In Oswego County, as principal Court Attorney to the Acting Supreme Court Justice, he served as program director for the County’s Integrated Domestic Violence Court, conducted legal research and analysis, drafted opinions and decisions, and served on many local interdisciplinary boards including the Family Treatment Court, Domestic Violence Court Planning Team, Sex Offender Management Committee, Youth Court Advisory Council, and Domestic Violence Coalition.
Benedetto also has criminal law experience. He served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Oswego County District Attorney’s Office from 1994 through 2000, as deputy county coroner, and as town attorney for the towns of Albion and Williamstown. As a defense attorney, he also successfully handled numerous felony, misdemeanor and traffic cases.
Benedetto has a long history of volunteer service and involvement in the Altmar-Parish-Williamstown School District, where he served on the board of education for more than seven years. He also served on the Amboy Town Planning Board, coordinates the countywide Mock Trial Program, served as little league coach and board member, is a founding member and past chairman of the APW Educational Foundation, Inc., and is a member of the Parish Area Relay for Life organizing committee.
He and his wife, Patty are the parents of five children: Justin, 25; Andrew, 21; Eric, 16; Kaitlee, 14; and Caralyn, 5.
“I am very grateful for the blessings in my life, and count them every day,†he said. “These include Patty, my wonderful wife, our five children, family and friends, as well as a great career. Over the years I have been fortunate to work in a number of public and private positions. Each of these opportunities has required me to work closely with people from all walks of life. My approach is simple: work hard, treat people fairly and respectfully, and never forget where you came from or that you work FOR the people.â€Â
Benedetto, a registered Republican, has been endorsed by several area committees, including Albion, Amboy, Parish, Williamstown, Constantia and Richland, with pledges of support from individuals throughout Oswego County. He is also seeking endorsements from the Conservative and Independence parties.
To learn more, visit www.oswegothom.com or “Thomas Benedetto for Oswego County Judge†on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thomas-Benedetto-for-Oswego-County-Judge/367221067438?ref=ts.
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