One of the main points of disagreement between the candidates for Niagara County Court judge is fairly basic: which man is better qualified for the job.
Democrat Michael E. Benedict is the more qualified candidate, according to the Niagara County Bar Association, whose rating committee of local lawyers deemed him "well qualified."
Republican John J. Ottaviano was rated "qualified."
"Most of them are criminal defense attorneys," Ottaviano said. He said Benedict "served in the Public Defender's Office, so I don't think I got a fair shake from the Bar Association. I'm extremely disappointed with their rating."
Benedict said any criticism of the rating committee is off base, because it included veteran lawyers and a retired judge.
"Whether you're happy with that rating or not, you still have to respect the process they go through," Benedict said.
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Bar Association President Lori M. Shawver referred questions to the chairman of the rating committee, Christopher A. Privateer, who did not respond.
Ottaviano said he has a strong peer rating of 4.4 out of 5 on the Martindale-Hubbell website, which begins its process with a list of references the attorney himself submits. Benedict is not listed on that site, whose guidelines say its ratings are not to be used in political advertising.
"I have experience in all of the levels of court," Ottaviano said. "My opponent does not have anywhere near that level of experience."
Most of a county judge's work involves criminal cases, and it's clear that Benedict has spent more of his career in criminal courtrooms than Ottaviano, whose career has focused on municipal law.
Benedict, 43, spent a decade as a Niagara County public defender, much of it as a full-time attorney handling felony cases in County Court.
He left that job in 2016 to become confidential law clerk to former County Judge Sara Sheldon, who retired last year.
"I'm 62 years old. With age comes wisdom," said Ottaviano, who began practicing law in 1986, working in the District Attorney's Office. He also served four years as a Family Court prosecutor.
Ottaviano was City of Lockport corporation counsel for 25 years until he was replaced following the 2018 mayoral election. He joined the county's legal department and currently is first assistant county attorney.
Benedict ran in 2020 to succeed Sheldon, but lost the election to Caroline A. Wojtaszek.
Now Benedict seeks to succeed Judge Matthew J. Murphy III, who will retire Dec. 31.
In June, Benedict and Ottaviano, a first-time candidate, competed in four party primaries with tiny turnouts.
Benedict romped in the Democratic primary with 73% of the vote. Ottaviano won the GOP primary with 51% of the vote, and he scored 67% in the Conservative primary. Benedict won the Working Families contest by four votes.
But it's anyone's guess how those results relate to a November election in a county where Democrats and Republicans are closely balanced.
Ottaviano has been endorsed by the Lockport police union, while Benedict has been endorsed by the Western New York Police Association,
