Disagrees with O’ Sullivan Supporter’s Letter

To the Editor:

(Madison County, NY – Oct. 2015) George Puzey, Patrick O’Sullivan. Remember those names.

Mr. Puzey recently wrote a letter to the Oneida Daily Dispatch supporting Mr. O’Sullivan’s candidacy for County Court Judge.  Before he makes unfair, inaccurate attacks against either Marian Cerio or Kathleen Rapasadi, he should ask some questions of the candidate whom he idealizes.

Over 65 percent of the cases that wind up in Madison County Court are Family Court cases. What is the extent of Mr. O’Sullivan’s Family Court experience?

Mr. O’Sullivan is a partner in the firm of Goris and O’Sullivan.  The firm’s website lists nineteen areas of expertise including dog bites and slip and fall cases.  Nowhere does the website indicate any experience or interest in family law.

Under the heading, “Representative Clients,” O’Sullivan lists only large insurance companies.
Consequently, one may infer that Mr. O’Sullivan has no practical experience in the
overwhelming number of cases that come before a Madison County Court Judge.

Someone who teaches and practices the law knows what the term “concurrent jurisdiction”
means.  In his very first statement as a candidate, Patrick O’Sullivan claimed that as a town and
village justice, he had concurrent jurisdiction with Family Court, which means he had the same
authority and jurisdiction as a Family Court Judge.

This is simply not true.  A town and village justice may issue an order of protection, or may hold
an individual in contempt for violating that order.  A town and village justice does not decide
issues of child custody, visitation, child neglect or abuse, adoptions or all the other issues brought before a Family Court Judge.

Mr. Puzey wrote, “Good judges…weigh the facts and look for the truth.” Mr. O’Sullivan’s
claim relative to his concurrent jurisdiction is simply not the truth.

Sincerely,

Carolyn and William Todd
Hamilton, NY