Archive: Opinions

To Whom It May Concern:

I am pleased to write in support of the candidacy of Maura Kennedy-Smith for the important office of Lansing Town Justice. The position of a Town Justice is essential to the quality of life in a community. The Justice's role is to assure that the important cases that come before the Court are decided properly and fairly. To accomplish that, a Justice must have the requisite combination of knowledge, training, experience, and calm temperament. I know from experience that Maura Kennedy- Smith embodies all of these prerequisites and traits.


First, Maura is a trained attorney. She is a Law School graduate, a successful candidate for the New York State Bar Exam, and an experienced courtroom lawyer. None of these tasks is easy. Successful completion and success of each requires a great deal of fortitude, but the voters of Lansing should expect nothing less from a future Town Justice.


Having served as Ithaca City Judge for over 20 years, I have some understanding of what experience serves one well for a judicial position. In that regard, the years I spent as a law clerk to a New York State Supreme Court Judge were the foundation for my time on the bench. There is no better training ground than that. Similarly, Maura Kennedy-Smith has years of experience as a law clerk in the Tompkins County Court. That is experience that is so relevant to a future career on the Bench and extremely hard to duplicate, let alone surpass. She is eminently qualified for the Town Justice position.


At the same time, her qualifications do not end at training and relevant experience. Maura's calm demeanor and temperament make her an excellent candidate for a judicial position. She appeared in Ithaca City Court on multiple occasions during my tenure as Judge. Maura was always well prepared and a strong and unflappable representative for her clients, no matter how difficult the circumstances. It is essential that a Judge or Justice be calm, imperturbable, and coolheaded at all times to ensure that the rule of law prevail. Not all are suited to the role. I can say without equivocation that Maura Kennedy-Smith is an ideal candidate, and I heartily endorse her for the position of Lansing Town Justice.

Ithaca City Judge Judith A. Rossiter, Retired
Rehoboth Beach, DE

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