Murphy sworn in as Saratoga County Court judge
PHOTOS BY J.S. CARRAS — JCARRAS@DIGITALFIRSTMEDIA.COM
Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy III zips his robe as his daughters Claire and Caroline and his wife, Laurie, at right, look on Monday after he was sworn at the Saratoga Springs Hilton.
Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy III takes the oath of office from Family Court Judge Jennifer A. Jensen, at right, as his daughters Claire and Caroline and his wife, Laurie, look on Monday.
Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy III is sworn in Monday as his wife, Laurie, holds the Bible.
Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy III gets help with his robes from his daughters Claire and Caroline and his wife, Laurie, after being sworn in Monday.
By Lauren Mineau |
PUBLISHED: December 29, 2014 at 5:21 p.m. | UPDATED: July 21, 2021 at 8:14 a.m.
SARATOGA SPRINGS >> Former Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III was officially sworn in as Saratoga County Court judge Monday evening.
Murphy ran unopposed in November for the 10-year term after he announced his resignation in September. He served 17 years as the district attorney, beginning as an assistant district attorney 27 years ago.
He will replace Judge Jerry Scarano, who is retiring after 20 years on the bench.
Murphy, 52, will start in Schenectady County while newly elected Schenectady County Court Judge Matt Sypniewski will serve in Saratoga County until the cases Murphy handled as district attorney are completed.
Murphy said he looks forward to a new role and reflected on his extensive career in Saratoga County.
"Each case will be decided on its own and each defendant will bring a different set and has his or her own issues. I will make responsible and thoughtful choices as judge," he said.
Murphy was sworn in Monday night at the Saratoga Springs Holiday Inn alongside other members of the judiciary, including county Family Court Judge Jennifer A. Jensen, who swore in Murphy, along with Supreme Court justices Thomas Nolan, Robert J. Chauvin and retired Supreme Court Justice Frank B. Williams. Chauvin and Jensen were former assistant district attorneys under Murphy.
Murphy's resignation set up a special November election to replace the district attorney for the following term. If he had remained district attorney until the end of 2014, an election wouldn't have happened until November 2015. In the meantime, Gov. Andrew Cuomo would have been able to appoint the position, potentially leading to a complete turnover of the district attorney's office staff and causing a disruption in the county's case load.
Former Assistant District Attorney Karen Heggen also ran unopposed in November to replace Murphy. She will be sworn in Tuesday.
"When I resigned on the 18th, the next day, [she] had a number of high-profile cases and I got to read about it in the paper, like all of you, which was a nice break for me," he said as he thanked her, among many others.
Murphy said the 90 days he has now spent out of the criminal justice system allowed for many cases to be resolved and shortening the time he would be assigned to another county.
During the time between his resignation and taking his official oath, Murphy said he has been able to take his first extended break from work in many year. The time allowed him to "completely rest, clear my mind, and enjoy things I've never been able to," he added.
"This 90-day, unpaid 'sabbatical' has been a wonderful experience for me and for my family. I have never had a full break like this, nor will I again until I retire. I loved being the DA, but after 27 years of a job that is basically 24/7, I needed a break," he said.
During his time off, Murphy said he ran a half-marathon, rowed around Manhattan Island to raise funds for underprivileged children and spent time with his family.
His daughter Caroline is a sophomore at Duke University, and his youngest daughter, Claire, is a senior at Saratoga Springs High School who plans to attend Boston University.
"I'm looking forward to this new role – no longer being an advocate but being someone who will interpret the law and the facts laid out in front of you, based on how I see it," he said.
Lauren Mineau
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