Christine Stage announces bid for Orange County Family Court

WARWICK — On Jan. 28, surrounded by her family, friends and associates, Christine Stage, a Democrat, announced that she is seeking the nomination of her party for Orange County Family Court Judge.

The party's convention will be held in May and the election on Nov. 4 will be for the seat now held by Judge Andrew Bivona, who will retire at the end of this year.

There are four Family Court judges who serve 10-year terms or until they reach age 70.

Stage, 57, has worked in the Orange County Attorney's Office for 29 years.

She began her career prosecuting child support cases for the Department of Social Services and then moved to the Child Abuse and Neglect Unit in 1989.

Stage represented that agency in all areas of child protection, custody, juvenile delinquents, persons in need of supervision and establishing permanency for children in foster care.

In 2007 she was promoted to Senior Assistant County Attorney and currently supervises the Abuse/Neglect Unit.

"I believe," said Stage, "that Family Court is the Court which impacts children and their families the most. And Family Court judges are charged with the vital task of ensuring that children are protected and that their best interests are met. I believe that my 30 plus years in this Court has prepared me to be a Family Court judge."

In her announcement, Stage pointed out that the Family Court was once known as the Children's Court and that it's important that the interests of the children be the primary consideration.

"Sometimes you don't see the forest through the trees," she said.

Stage attended LeMoyne College, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. She graduated from Albany Law School in 1981.

Stage is actively involved in the Warwick Lions Club, having served as past president, and is the first vice-president of the Orange County Bar Association. She is a former president of the Warwick Jaycees and Pine Island Parent Teachers Association. And she has served on the boards of the Albert Wisner Library Foundation and Sunrise House. She also serves on the Child Welfare Court Improvement Project.

Christine Stage lives in Warwick with her husband, Douglas. They have two children and two grandchildren.

Another Warwick resident, Christine Krahulik, announced earlier this month that she, too, would seek the judgeship. Krahulik is a Family Court Support Magistrate in Orange and Westchester courts. She plans to seek the backing of the Orange County Republican, Conservative and Independent committees.