Experience may separate four judicial candidates when voters select two of them on Nov. 3 to serve a 14-year term with the state Supreme Court's District 7, which includes Cayuga County.
Judges Kenneth Fisher and Alex Renzi, both running on the Republican, Independence and Conservative tickets, believe their experience shaping and writing judicial decisions give them the edge while Democrats Paloma Capanna and La Marr Jackson believe their private practice or arbitration experience make them stand out.
With nearly 25 years of experience as a labor arbitrator and legal teacher, Jackson said she has an understanding of how different views and backgrounds come into play when researching or writing a decision.
“I bring experience that lets me see other sides of our community, both rural and city,” Jackson said. “Arbitrators are no different than a judge, they examine the facts and determine who's right or wrong, or who's telling the truth or not. My experience gives me the same kinds of skills as a judge.”
As the only incumbent state Supreme Court judge on the ballot, Fisher said he believed his 21 years of experience spoke for itself.
Fisher is the same judge who decided against the Cayuga Indian Nation of New York last winter, ruling that the tribe could not sell untaxed cigarettes from its Lake Side Trading convenience stores in Union Springs and Seneca Falls. That decision was overturned in July by the state Appellate Division and is currently in the process of being appealed to the highest court in New York, the Court of Appeals.
“There is no substitute for (experience),” said Fisher. “I also had substantial law enforcement experience before that, and have been endorsed by almost every law enforcement agency.”
While she has never served as a judge, Capanna said 17 years of private practice family law experience has equipped her with the tools to know how decisions can impact both families and communities.
With most newly elected state Supreme Court judges serving in family and civil courts, Capanna said she is fully prepared to take the next step in her career.
“It's made me sensitive to the issues,” Capanna said. “When you are working with children, sometimes you need to move just a little bit slower. All issues in family court are important to the parties involved. Family court is the closest court to the people because that's the one everyday people are most likely to use.”
With almost 20 years of experience as a judge himself, Renzi said he learned that it is important for communities to trust in their judges' decisions.
Renzi said he believed he gained that trust while working as a municipal, county and acting state Supreme Court judge.
“People have to trust you to do the right thing when a decision is made,” Renzi said. “This is not a position for on-the-job training.
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
Meet the candidates
State Supreme Court District 7
Paloma A. Capanna
Age: 43
Education: Bachelors degree from Wheaton College and juris doctor from SUNY Buffalo
Job: Self-employed family law lawyer
Legal experience: 17 years in private practice including pro bono representation and teaching pro se clinics.
La Marr Jackson
Age: 63
Education: Juris doctor from SUNY Buffalo, master’s in education from SUNY Brockport and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Central State University, Ohio.
Job: A partner with Harris, Chesworth, O’Brien, Johnstone, Welch & Leone, LLP law firm in Rochester.
Legal experience: More than 15 years of experience teaching law at regional colleges and universities, 25 years of experience as an arbitrator, is the hearing examiner for Rochester and an arbitrator for the Rochester City Small Claims Court.
Kenneth R. Fisher
Age: 57
Education: Juris doctor from Vermont Law School and bachelor’s degree from Williams College
Job: Sitting District 7 state Supreme Court justice
Legal experience: Worked at the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office from 1977 to 1984, appointed as a U.S. magistrate judge for the Western District of New York in 1988, appointment to State Supreme Court in 1995.
Alex R. Renzi
Age: 51
Education: Juris doctor from Emory University School of Law and bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University
Job: Monroe County Judge
Legal experience: Assistant Monroe County District Attorney from 1985 to 1988, private practice attorney from 1988 to 2002, Henrietta town justice from 1990 to 2002 and elected as a Monroe County judge in 2002.
With nearly 25 years of experience as a labor arbitrator and legal teacher, Jackson said she has an understanding of how different views and backgrounds come into play when researching or writing a decision.
“I bring experience that lets me see other sides of our community, both rural and city,” Jackson said. “Arbitrators are no different than a judge, they examine the facts and determine who's right or wrong, or who's telling the truth or not. My experience gives me the same kinds of skills as a judge.”
As the only incumbent state Supreme Court judge on the ballot, Fisher said he believed his 21 years of experience spoke for itself.
Fisher is the same judge who decided against the Cayuga Indian Nation of New York last winter, ruling that the tribe could not sell untaxed cigarettes from its Lake Side Trading convenience stores in Union Springs and Seneca Falls. That decision was overturned in July by the state Appellate Division and is currently in the process of being appealed to the highest court in New York, the Court of Appeals.
“There is no substitute for (experience),” said Fisher. “I also had substantial law enforcement experience before that, and have been endorsed by almost every law enforcement agency.”
While she has never served as a judge, Capanna said 17 years of private practice family law experience has equipped her with the tools to know how decisions can impact both families and communities.
With most newly elected state Supreme Court judges serving in family and civil courts, Capanna said she is fully prepared to take the next step in her career.
“It's made me sensitive to the issues,” Capanna said. “When you are working with children, sometimes you need to move just a little bit slower. All issues in family court are important to the parties involved. Family court is the closest court to the people because that's the one everyday people are most likely to use.”
With almost 20 years of experience as a judge himself, Renzi said he learned that it is important for communities to trust in their judges' decisions.
Renzi said he believed he gained that trust while working as a municipal, county and acting state Supreme Court judge.
“People have to trust you to do the right thing when a decision is made,” Renzi said. “This is not a position for on-the-job training.
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
Meet the candidates
State Supreme Court District 7
Paloma A. Capanna
Age: 43
Education: Bachelors degree from Wheaton College and juris doctor from SUNY Buffalo
Job: Self-employed family law lawyer
Legal experience: 17 years in private practice including pro bono representation and teaching pro se clinics.
La Marr Jackson
Age: 63
Education: Juris doctor from SUNY Buffalo, master’s in education from SUNY Brockport and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Central State University, Ohio.
Job: A partner with Harris, Chesworth, O’Brien, Johnstone, Welch & Leone, LLP law firm in Rochester.
Legal experience: More than 15 years of experience teaching law at regional colleges and universities, 25 years of experience as an arbitrator, is the hearing examiner for Rochester and an arbitrator for the Rochester City Small Claims Court.
Kenneth R. Fisher
Age: 57
Education: Juris doctor from Vermont Law School and bachelor’s degree from Williams College
Job: Sitting District 7 state Supreme Court justice
Legal experience: Worked at the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office from 1977 to 1984, appointed as a U.S. magistrate judge for the Western District of New York in 1988, appointment to State Supreme Court in 1995.
Alex R. Renzi
Age: 51
Education: Juris doctor from Emory University School of Law and bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University
Job: Monroe County Judge
Legal experience: Assistant Monroe County District Attorney from 1985 to 1988, private practice attorney from 1988 to 2002, Henrietta town justice from 1990 to 2002 and elected as a Monroe County judge in 2002.
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