AUBURN - Auburn City Court Judge Michael F. McKeon will be running for another term this year. The judge's present term ends in January.
"I hereby announce my formal candidacy for City Court Judge," McKeon told the group of about 100, heavily laced with Democrats, at his Charles Street residence in Auburn Saturday.
He also named the Hon. James G. Cuddy, whom he succeeded as city court judge, as the chairman of his campaign committee.
"Jim will not only be an asset to the campaign, he has 30 years in politics," he said. "I'm asking the voters to give me an opportunity to serve another term."
McKeon said he decided to hold a coffee hour to make his announcement in honor of his father, William McKeon, who he said was there in spirit, if not in body.
"I remember my father dragging my brother and me to functions like this. He would have been awed by this gathering. I wouldn't be here without my father," he said.
McKeon has been city court judge since Jan. 1, 1999. Prior to that time, he was corporation counsel for Auburn. He became a lawyer in 1979.
Born and raised in Auburn, McKeon and his wife, Diane, have a son, Brian, 27, and twin daughters, Kathryn and Margaret-Kelly, 24. He has taught at Cayuga Community College as an adjunct professor for 27 years.
McKeon described city court as the busiest court in Cayuga County.
"We're not just a criminal court," he said, "but we also handle civil cases. It's the alphabet court also. We handle everything from A to Z."
The judge described how he became proactive in finding innovative ways to deal with repeat offenders who were committing crimes under the influence of drugs or alcohol and to support their addiction, as well as committing crimes of domestic violence.
"It was a revolving door court," he said. "We would put someone in jail for a maximum of one year, but the cycle kept repeating itself. I said that's not working. Seventy percent of the crimes committed were done while under the influence of drugs or alcohol."
Read the full report in Sunday's edition of The Citizen.
He also named the Hon. James G. Cuddy, whom he succeeded as city court judge, as the chairman of his campaign committee.
"Jim will not only be an asset to the campaign, he has 30 years in politics," he said. "I'm asking the voters to give me an opportunity to serve another term."
McKeon said he decided to hold a coffee hour to make his announcement in honor of his father, William McKeon, who he said was there in spirit, if not in body.
"I remember my father dragging my brother and me to functions like this. He would have been awed by this gathering. I wouldn't be here without my father," he said.
McKeon has been city court judge since Jan. 1, 1999. Prior to that time, he was corporation counsel for Auburn. He became a lawyer in 1979.
Born and raised in Auburn, McKeon and his wife, Diane, have a son, Brian, 27, and twin daughters, Kathryn and Margaret-Kelly, 24. He has taught at Cayuga Community College as an adjunct professor for 27 years.
McKeon described city court as the busiest court in Cayuga County.
"We're not just a criminal court," he said, "but we also handle civil cases. It's the alphabet court also. We handle everything from A to Z."
The judge described how he became proactive in finding innovative ways to deal with repeat offenders who were committing crimes under the influence of drugs or alcohol and to support their addiction, as well as committing crimes of domestic violence.
"It was a revolving door court," he said. "We would put someone in jail for a maximum of one year, but the cycle kept repeating itself. I said that's not working. Seventy percent of the crimes committed were done while under the influence of drugs or alcohol."
Read the full report in Sunday's edition of The Citizen.
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