Examining the Candidates in the Democratic Primary for Schenectady County Family Court Judge

June 24, 2024

Updated: June 24, 2024

The upcoming‌ primary election on Tuesday ⁣could determine the next Family Court⁤ judge in Schenectady County.

Four contenders⁢ are battling for the Democratic ballot line, ⁢including two deputy county attorneys, ⁣a former county attorney, and the incumbent judge.

Samantha Miller-Herrera, a former Rotterdam‍ Town Board member and ‍current first ⁢deputy attorney for ⁤the county, won the party’s endorsement earlier this year, edging out incumbent Jill Polk, who is ⁣campaigning⁣ for a second 10-year term.

Michael Godlewski, a court attorney-referee overseeing‌ Family Court matters in ⁤four counties in the state’s⁢ Third Judicial District, is also in the running. The former‌ Glenville Town Board member has a decade of experience prosecuting juvenile offenses as ‍deputy ‌county attorney‌ for Schenectady County.

Deputy attorney Camille⁣ Savino Enders, who handles family court matters, is also vying for the nomination.

With the primary election just around the corner, let’s delve deeper into each ⁤candidate’s‌ profile.

SAMANTHA⁤ MILLER-HERRERA

Miller-Herrera, 41, initially focused on complex estate planning ‍in law school. However, after working⁣ on a case involving an infant with shaken baby syndrome, she shifted her focus ⁤to family law. She has spent most of her career⁤ working‌ with domestic violence⁢ victims and handling family law cases.

Miller-Herrera ⁢believes that ‌there is room for improvement in resolving ‌family court cases more swiftly and increasing the use of alternative and⁢ therapeutic courts within the county. However, she did not provide‌ specific strategies due to restrictions placed ⁢on judicial candidates.

As ‍a mother and stepmother⁢ to six children, Miller-Herrera has personal experience with family court matters outside her 17 years as a courtroom ⁢attorney.

Miller-Herrera’s diverse‌ experience includes time in⁢ the private sector, as a hearing officer ‍in the Fourth Judicial⁣ District, and as a court referee overseeing foreclosure proceedings. She ⁢returned to Schenectady County in 2013 as a deputy ‌county attorney and has⁢ been the ⁢first deputy attorney for the county since 2017, overseeing⁤ juvenile cases in ⁤family court.

MICHAEL GODLEWSKI

Godlewski, 41, a Schenectady County native, has spent most of his career working in family court. As the son of⁤ divorced parents, he ⁤understands⁢ the importance of⁤ family court ‍and is committed to ensuring that all voices are heard‌ throughout the process.

Godlewski has received endorsements⁣ from various parties, including ⁤the Conservative Party, Democratic Schenectady‌ Mayor Gary⁣ McCarthy, and leaders from other parties.

Godlewski began working as a ⁤family court attorney with ‌Schenectady County in 2010. He was promoted⁣ to deputy county attorney in 2013 and then first deputy‌ county attorney in 2016. ‍In 2023, he began working as a court attorney-referee for the Third Judicial District and was appointed acting judge for the⁣ village of Scotia.

JILL ⁢POLK

Polk believes that her family court experience is unmatched compared to other candidates. She has⁢ served‍ as the Schenectady County Family Court Judge⁣ for 10 years and‍ has 36 years of legal experience.

Polk has the ⁤support of several prominent Democrats, including Schenectady⁢ City Council members Damonni Farley and Joseph Mancini, Assemblyman Phil‌ Steck, D-Colonie,‌ and Thomas Constantine,‌ a District 3 representative in the ‌Schenectady ‍County ‌Legislature.

As the director of the New York State Family Court Judges Association, Polk regularly ‌meets with state ⁤lawmakers and administrative‍ judges to advocate⁤ for on-site child ‍care centers, ⁢supervised visitation‌ programs, and increased mental health services.

CAMILLE SIANO ENDERS

Enders, a practicing ‍attorney for 28 years, has been ‍an active resident of the county for years.⁣ She⁣ has served ⁤on the Duanesburg school board, ⁣as a ‍trustee for the Schenectady County Public Library system, and as a Duanesburg Town Justice.

Enders has been the deputy county attorney for ⁣Schenectady County since 2022, where she prosecutes child neglect and abuse cases in family court. She previously worked as the county’s deputy chief assistant ⁤public defender.

Enders ⁢believes that the⁣ court system should reflect the diversity of the parties ⁤appearing before it. She emphasizes the ‍importance of having a female‌ judge to lend credibility to women attorneys, litigants, and ‍witnesses.