Recently retired Orange County Supreme Court Justice Robert Onofry gathered many firsts in his life.
He was the first city court judge in the county to establish a domestic violence victim advocacy program, the first Port Jervis native to be elected to a countywide judgeship, and the first judge to issue an opinion interpreting the regulatory powers invested by the state’s 2019 climate law.
Always exuding patience, fairness, and respect in the courtroom, he is regarded by many in the legal profession and the broader community as a classic gentleman.
“I have always had a basic belief—not only when I was in private practice but during my time on the bench—you are there to serve people, and you are there to treat everyone fairly, equally, and respectfully,” Onofry told The Epoch Times at his Port Jervis home on Feb. 1….