The audience was in a holiday mood when Judge Frank Navarra installed the newly elected Town officials on Dec. 29. In keeping with the festive atmosphere, the judge announced that he was reaching a milestone. This was his 25th year on the bench.
Frank Navarra didn’t expect to be a judge at the start of his career. (Does anyone?) He was a City of Newburgh policeman, who moved up the ladder quickly when a third of his colleagues were indicted. He was a deputy commissioner at 26, and later gave up that title to become a captain.
He might have remained on the force if it wasn’t for a woman driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Captain Navarra was thrown out of the car and seriously injured. He tried coming back to work, but the department retired him in 1984.
Shortly after that he collapsed in his driveway, He woke up in the recovery room, after surgery, and instinctively knew he was better — so much better he became the Chief of the Marlbororough Police Department, where he started an academy for the officers who had never been trained (roughly two-thirds of his staff). At night, he attended law school.
He had his degree and was practicing law when he opted to run for town judge in 1995. Peter Neuman was endorsed by the major parties, but Mr. Navarra (a lifelong resident) got on the ballot through primaries and got the support of the Independence Party, which was new in Orange County. His wife had driven to Albany to become the chairperson of the newly formed branch.
Mr. Navarra won the election and has remained in office ever since. As a new town justice, he benefited from working alongside Judge Joe Thomson, who stayed on the job for almost 50 years, “I loved working with Joe,” Judge Navarra said, “he was a good mentor.”
During a recent interview, he also had positive things to say about his current colleague, Judge Lynn Beesecker. “Lynn and I work well together,” he assured us. “He’s a very good friend.”
One of the hard things about the position is recognizing the people who appear before you. “I look out and know half the courtroom,” Judge Navarra told us. “I offer to let them go to another judge. But I don’t encourage it. I’m not there to walk away from my responsibility.”
In addition to hearing cases, Judge Navarra has secured three grants for the Town. With the help of his assistant, Pat Caridi, he got new equipment and got the courtroom remodeled, so (in his words)”It looks like a courtroom rather than a cellar.”
The judge still does a little pro bono work for nonprofit groups and is expecting to do volunteer work for the Veterans Administration.
Looking back to his first race, he recalls being asked why he wanted to run for judge. His opponent said it would be fun. Judge Navarra disagreed. And he still does. “It’s never been fun,” he said, “but it’s always been satisfying.”
