Milford Woman Likely To Be Youngest Judge in State

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
MILFORD

Upon taking office in January as Milford town justice at 24 years old, Briana Partridge will likely be the youngest judge in New York State.

“I want to make sure everybody that comes through feels heard,” Partridge told AllOtsego.

Partridge is originally from North Carolina and is married to Austin Partridge, 30, who also won his own campaign to be Milford’s town supervisor. Both ran as Republicans. Aside from being one of two town justices, Briana said, she will continue her job as a stay-at-home mom.

Partridge said she sees her age as both a responsibility and an asset.

“I want to come prepared and educated,” she said. “For that same reason, a younger perspective in this field is a valuable asset in a world that’s always changing.”

Partridge added that she hopes more young people will run for office.

She said her husband and other community members had suggested she run, and that her interest in the position arose from herself being a victim of fraud.

“And when this opportunity came up, I just said to myself: That’s something that I care about a lot, and I want to deliver that to other people, deliver justice for them,” she said.

Town and village justices, spread across nearly 1,200 jurisdictions in New York State, are responsible for many local matters. Much of their caseload includes traffic violations, small claims, evictions and criminal offenses. Anyone 18 years old or older may run for the job, and there is no requirement for a law degree.

The New York State Unified Court System did not respond to requests to confirm Partridge will be the youngest judge in the state by press time.

Partridge, who does not have a law degree, said she recently attended a week-long state training for the role in Albany with other incoming town justices. She estimated that the next youngest in the room was likely in their 30s.

“I enjoyed it,” Partridge said. “I didn’t feel like I was getting into anything that I couldn’t handle.”

To those who may doubt a young person can take on the job, Partridge says, “I understand that perspective, but also, I think maybe it’s an outdated perspective.

“There’s plenty of lay people coming in who are older that are doing this, who have no experience,” she said. “I take it just as seriously. I may not come with the experience, but I learn quick, and I want to learn, and I want to be good at what I do.”