Grace Hanlon

BUFFALO — Chautauqua County resident Grace Hanlon was nominated Wednesday by Western New York Democratic Party officials at their judicial nominating convention to be one of the four-party nominees this year for New York State Supreme Court Justice. Hanlon was also cross-endorsed by the Republican, Conservative, and Working Families Parties to all but guarantee her election.

The all but guaranteed election of Hanlon in November due to the cross endorsements means that for the first time since the retirement of former Supreme Court Justice Joseph Gerace, Chautauqua County will have its own resident Supreme Court Justice.

“Jamestown attorney Chuck DeAngelo and I have been working hand-in-hand for the past decade to make this happen,” said county Democratic Chair Norm Green.

“I want to make this clear,” DeAngelo said, “Norm Green has made our case within the Western New York political community for the need to have our own Supreme Court Justice. Only due to the tenacity of Norm Green and him forging relationships with Erie County and western New York Democrats is the cross-endorsement of Grace Hanlon now a reality.”

Hanlon is a confidential law clerk to Chautauqua County Court Judge David Foley. Hanlon previously ran for the post on the state Supreme Court in 2016. Hanlon has been a practicing attorney for 31 years. She has served her community as a former first assistant Chautauqua County district attorney and as a former assistant public defender.

She also worked in private practice as a partner and past associate at Fessenden, Laumer, and DeAngelo working in real property, matrimonial/family law, criminal defense, union representation, and civil litigation.

Due to her experience, work ethic, and character she has been rated “Highly Qualified” for the bench by numerous bar associations. She is the recipient of an Outstanding Woman in Law Award by the Eighth Judicial District Gender and Racial Fairness Committee and supported by Stonewall Democrats. In December 2018, she was appointed to the Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission.

Hanlon, the youngest of 10 siblings, received her B.A. from the University of Buffalo (where she also captained the women’s softball team). She received her law degree from Pace Law School before firmly setting down roots in Chautauqua County.

As a proud Western New York resident, Hanlon believes that it is vitally important to have experienced, insightful, resident judges serving their respective communities. “When a dispute arises that requires the insight of a local practitioner, who better to resolve that dispute than someone who lives and is invested in the community?”

Also, cross-endorsed by the Republicans for Supreme Court justice was Democrat John B. Licata, Republicans Ray Walter, and incumbent Frank Caruso.

Led by Green, the Democratic judicial delegates attending the Supreme Court nominating convention were Dunkirk City Mayor Willie Rosas; Jamestown City Mayor Eddie Sundquist; Rich Morrisroe, Dunkirk; Nancy Bargar, Lakewood; Peg Cornell, Lakewood; and Chuck DeAngelo, Jamestown.

Alternate Democratic judicial convention delegates were Election Commissioner Luz E Torres, Dunkirk John I LaMancuso, Jamestown; Elliot Raimondo, Jamestown; Jim Walton, Jamestown; Mike Bobseine, Fredonia; Deanna Borrello, Silver Creek; and Loren Kent, Conewango Valley.

Delegates to the Judicial Convention represent the political parties in nominating party candidates for Supreme Court justice, who then go on to represent the party in the General Election the same year. Alternate delegates are selected if the delegate is not available.

The delegates are elected by way of nominating petitions representing State Assembly districts within the eight-county Western New York 8th judicial district.