MONTICELLO, NY — For the week of April 26, Judge Frank LaBuda was honored to be the host and coordinator for Turkish judges and prosecutors. The Turkish delegation observed and compared court proceedings in supreme court civil and criminal, as well as family court in Sullivan County. Also, the judges had the opportunity to observe and participate in local justice court proceedings in the Town of Mamakating with Justices Joel Welsh and Cynthia Dolan.

The week-long agenda gave the Judges an opportunity to observe justice in action. Judges Michael McGuire and Stephan Schick assisted Judge LaBuda and the Sullivan County Bar Association in providing mock criminal jury trial for the delegation, as well as several area high school students to observe on Law Day.

On May 1, the Sullivan County Bar Association, in conjunction with the Sullivan and Orange County Women’s Bar Association, sponsored a dinner/reception for the delegation. Sen. John J. Bonacic, chairman of the New York State Judiciary Committee, and Hon. Karen Peters, presiding justice of the appellate division, third department, were keynote speakers. The counsel for the Turkish Consulate’s Office, the Hon. Selda Sahinol, Esq., also welcomed the delegation.