BATAVIA/Bonarigo kicks off his campaign for City Court Judge

Ben Bonarigo kicked off his campaign for City Court Judge at the City Church Event Center on Center street Saturday morning.

Citizens to Elect Ben Bonarigo filled the Event Center to listen to what Bonarigo had to say and get organized for the primary election date which will be June 25th this year, NYS moved the date up from the month of September. The winner will be on the ballot in the November election.

“I need your votes on that date and more importantly I need your help leading up to it,” Bonarigo told the crowd of supporters.

Bonarigo says his decision to run for the position came to him over the last 6-8 months. At the end of 2019, the Hon. Robert J. Balbick, will reach mandatory retirement age. The mandatory retirement age is 70. Bonarigo is 62.

“I knew I wanted a career change, I have been practicing law for 36 hard years and it was time for me to make a change, but I still felt like I could do something for my community and serve it and continue to serve the people I love, so this is the next logical step.”

Representing all kinds of people during his law career, Bonarigo says he has experience with all kinds of judges and juries.

“I don’t believe my opponent has that and that’s what I hope to offer. If I am elected I will be available to the court 24 hours a day, no matter what comes in front of you, no matter what time. I will be there for the betterment of the community.

Judge Durin Rogers, has received the endorsement of the City of Batavia Republican Committee and is running against Bonarigo for the full time City Court Judge position.

He has almost 25-years of public service including volunteering for the public defender’s office, representing indigent defendants in criminal matters as an assigned counsel attorney, and was a long-time prosecutor with the County Attorney’s office. Judge Rogers is currently serving in his fourth year on the bench as the City of Batavia part-time judge following his appointment by Batavia City Council in 2015.

Bonarigo says he is not running on party.

“We are running across all lines, this is a judicial race, we can take a primary on any line that we want and I intend to do that.”

As far as his law practice goes, Bonarigo says his son Ben and Junior partner Kristie DeFreze will take over the office.

“Everyone of my clients practically knows them and I think they are more than capable of picking up and running with the ball.”

If elected, Bonarigo will not be able to preside over any of their cases, however.

Provided Background on Bonarigo:

A 1975 graduate of Batavia High School, Mr. Bonarigo attended Genesee Community College, while working in his family’s restaurant, attaining an AS Degree in General Studies in 1977 and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management, cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1979. He furthered his education by attaining his law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School in 1982 and was admitted to the practice law in New York State in 1983.

During his practice, Mr. Bonarigo has acted as the Attorney for: the City of Batavia, the Town of Batavia, the Village of Oakfield and the Village of Oakfield Central School District.

At the start of his career Mr. Bonarigo worked in the Genesee County Public Defender’s Office where he worked part-time while at the same time establishing over the next 37 years, a flourishing legal practice which is now known as Bonarigo & McCutcheon. He has practiced in all areas of civil and criminal law all over Western New York and beyond. While practicing law, Mr. Bonarigo has been very committed to his profession, having been appointed to the Appellate Division 4th Department Grievance Committee for 6 years, during which time he, along with others, sat to review the ethical behavior of attorneys from all over Western New York.

He was also appointed to the Independent Judicial Qualification Commission for the 8th Judicial District on which he participated in the review, and rating, of candidates for judicial offices in all of Western New York courts. He is a long-time member of the New York State Bar Association to which he was a delegate representing the attorneys of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming County during State meetings. He has been a member in good standing with the Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming County Bar Associations, serving as President of the Genesee County Bar.