Election 2017: Southold Town Justice candidates

Southold Town Justice
Four-year term, one open seat
Salary: $71,755

Eileen A. Powers

Occupation: Attorney

Hamlet: Southold

Party lines: Republican, Conservative, Independence

About her: Ms. Powers, 50, a mother of three, is a 1992 graduate of St. John’s School of Law. She served as an assistant district attorney and deputy bureau chief in the Major Crimes Unit of the Suffolk DA’s Office. She has served as an assistant, deputy and town attorney in Southampton Town, as well as attorney for the Village of Belle Terre. She has been in private practice since 2005.

Her pitch: Ms. Powers said her experience, background and commitment to the town make her the right choice. As the deputy bureau chief for Major Crimes and a leading trial attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, she prosecuted hundreds of criminals for crimes including robbery, vehicular manslaughter and homicide.

In her words: “I will use my experience and work hard at being a fair judge to all who come before the court.”

Robert R. Meguin

Occupation: Attorney and counselor at law

Hamlet: Southold

Party lines: Democratic

About him: Mr. Meguin, 69, is the chairman of the Southold Board of Ethics and is a former Village Justice for the Village of Lindenhurst. He was the principal legal adviser to five Superior Court judges and has been an attorney at law since 1975. He graduated from St. John’s University School of Law in 1974 and Boston University in 1970. He is married to Kathie Meguin, and they have two children, Christopher and Kacey.

His pitch: Mr. Meguin said he has the necessary qualities and skills to be the next Town Justice: broad legal experience, fairness, integrity, intelligence, community awareness and extensive knowledge in criminal law as a trial lawyer, author of numerous opinions and decisions and arguing appeals successfully in the appellate courts. He is admitted to practice law in the Federal and State Court.

In his words: “Electing a judge is an important choice. Real judicial experience matters.”