To the Editor:

On November 7, there is an important item on the ballot for you, the Town voters to decide, whether to eliminate one of the two Justices (Judges) in the Town of Lisbon Town Court. The proposition will be on the back of the ballot; Proposition one and two are from New York State, and proposition three is the local Town of Lisbon proposition.

Town proposition one, local proposition three: Should the Town of Lisbon abolish one of the Town Justice positions? Yes No

This vote will not affect anyone currently serving as one Judge position will be vacated as a Judge is not running for reelection. I contacted a majority of the other 32 Towns in the County for information on their Courts. I discovered that Lisbon is one of a small handful of Towns that still has two Judges, and in many Towns, the average cases for their single Judge is 600 -1200 cases per year.

Do we still need two Judges or is it time to reduce the Court to one Judge? In Lisbon, the total cases between two Judges in 2022 was 456, an average of 228 cases per Judge, well below the average case per Judge in other Town Courts. Over the past ten years, the cases before the Lisbon Court have dramatically decreased: 2019 - 571 cases; 2020 - 548 cases; 2021- 625 cases: 2022 - 486 cases: 2023 as of 9/14/23 - 317 cases.

Much has changed since the Town Court systems were established when the hamlet was the hub for Town residents to do all their business, before the advent of the automobile, telephone, the internet, computers, and other technologies that streamline Judicial services. Add the onset of Covid which changed the way many court hearings are conducted, changes in laws, and the recent implementation of the bail reform laws by our Governor and State legislature. With each of these changes, the Town has seen a dramatic decrease in cases coming before our two Judges.

I will be voting to abolish one Town Justice in the Town of Lisbon. Regardless of how I vote, it is up to you, the taxpayers to decide. Whether it is yes or no, please get out and vote and let your voice be heard.

William D. Nelson
Town of Lisbon