GOSHEN, N.Y. (February 7, 2019) – Timothy P. McElduff Jr., a long-time attorney with extensive experience in Surrogate Court matters and a partner at a leading Orange County law firm, kicked off his election campaign to become the next Orange County Surrogate among more than a hundred supporters, community leaders, friends and family tonight.
He is a candidate for the seat that will be vacated by retiring Judge Robert A. Onofry, who will be forced to retire in 2019 under New York’s age requirements for county judges.
“I am overwhelmed by the amount of support I have received and cannot thank everyone enough for their faith in me and my campaign,” McElduff said to a standing room only crowd at Delancey’s Restaurant in Goshen. “I will work hard to continue the tradition of honesty, impartiality, and integrity that has served as a hallmark of both the Surrogate’s Court and Judge Onofry’s time on the bench.”
McElduff has the skill set necessary to assume the unique responsibilities that come with sitting on the bench of Surrogate’s Court.
“As many of you know, Surrogate’s Court is a unique forum that has jurisdiction over the administration of trusts and estates, guardianships, and the disputes that arise in these areas,” he said. “It has its own rules and procedure, its own case law, its own clerk’s office and its own staff. Those that come before this Court are entitled to expect that the presiding judge has the special skill set, knowledge, and temperament necessary to handle their case. I believe that based upon my experience as a judge, lawyer, and as a Surrogate’s Court litigator, I have the skill set, knowledge, experience, and temperament to take the bench as the next Orange County Surrogate.”
McElduff has practiced law for over 20 years and is a partner at Drake Loeb PLLC in New Windsor. His practice has focused on civil litigation with extensive experience in Surrogate’s Court matters, such as estate administration, will contests, guardianships, judicial accountings, removal/appointment of fiduciaries, and discovery proceedings.
For the past 12 years, he has also served as a Town Justice in the Town of Wawayanda Justice Court, one of Orange County’s busiest town and village courts, adjudicating thousands of civil, traffic, and criminal matters. He has been elected to this position for three consecutive four-year terms on the Republican, Conservative, and Independence party lines. Prior to taking the bench, I served as a member and officer of the Wawayanda Republican Committee.
He has served on the board of directors of the YMCA of Eastern Orange and Dutchess Counties, and currently serves on the boards of Inspire and Minisink Valley Little League, where he served as president and vice president. He is a current member and past president of the Orange County Magistrates Association, a 3rd Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, and has volunteered as a judge in the Orange County Mock Trial Competition.
Judge McElduff resides in Slate Hill with his wife Patricia and their three children, Liam, Fiona, and Kaitlyn, who attend school in the Minisink Valley Central School District.
