Town Justice Peter Barlet announces reelection

WARWICK — Warwick Town Justice Peter D. Barlet will seek re-election this November to the office he has held for the 25 years.

Barlet, who presides over one of the busier local courts in Orange County, announced his plans during a press conference on May 22 in Lewis Park.

Town Court, located in the Warwick Town Hall, has a broad and diversified jurisdiction, including crimes, vehicle and traffic cases, landlord-tenant, environmental conservation, municipal code, small claims and civil cases.

Barlet also serves as the acting village justice for the Villages of Warwick, Florida and Greenwood Lake. He is also the immediate past president of the New York State Magistrate’s Association, which represents the interests of all of the town and village justices in New York State.

‘To clarify the issue’
The election for Warwick Town Justice is slated this year for Tuesday, Nov. 5. Town justices are elected to four-year terms.

“I’ve been asked if I intended to run for re election as Town Justice this November,” said Barlet. “Invariably, I have said yes but despite these assurances, I am told, that this message remains uncertain. In order to clarify the issue I want to publicly declare to you this morning that I am and will be a candidate for re-election to the important position of Warwick Town Justice.”

Earlier this month, Steven Grasso, a former assistant Orange County District Attorney now in private practice, announced his candidacy for the position of Warwick Town Justice.

This year Barlet was named Warwick Republican of the Year, an honor that recognizes his dedication to the community, particularly in the areas of youth and law. He has been a law guardian, representing children in Family Court, and he has been a judge in the county-wide mock trial competitions for many years.

‘With your help’
Barlet also is well-known to veterans and civic groups in the region. He is often a speaker and participant in community events, such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

In addition to his public responsibilities, Barlet, a graduate of New York Law School, has a law office in the historic 1886 Excelsior Hose Co. building in the Village of Warwick. He resides in Amity with his wife, Iris, and their three children.

“The position of Warwick Town Justice is one which certainly requires a firm grounding in the law,” said Barlet. “More importantly, it is a position which calls for an individual with a sense of justice capable of balancing the rights of an individual with the need to protect a community of diverse backgrounds, experiences and points of view. That my friends, is something I am called upon to do on a daily basis. It is a task I am committed to continue and with your help, I will be re elected.”

- Roger Gavan