Judge Onofry is a lifelong resident of Orange County; born and raised and currently residing in the City of Port Jervis. He is a graduate of Port Jervis High School, SUNY Orange (Class of 1969), and the State University of New York at Albany, where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree (magma cum laude) in Economics. He graduated from the New England School of Law (Class of 1975) in Boston, Massachusetts where he served as Managing Editor of the New England Law Review and where he received his Juris Doctor Degree, with high honors. Upon graduation from Law School and admission to the New York Bar, Judge Onofry ultimately returned to his hometown of Port Jervis where he began the practice of law at the law firm of Cuddeback and Onofry, specializing in Surrogate Practice and Estate Planning.

Of Counsel to the firm of MacVean, Lewis, Sherwin & McDermott, P.C. from 2023 until retirement in January of 2026, where he now serves as a Consultant for Estate Planning and Surrogate Practice matters.

Membership & Professional Affiliations

Member of the New York State Bar Association (Estates and Trusts) and Orange County Bar Association.

Director of the Community Foundation of Orange, Sullivan & Rockland, a 501 (c)3 Foundation.

Admissions

Admitted, prior to retirement, to the State Courts of the State of New York and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Judicial Positions

Judge Onofry has enjoyed a legal career that spans 50 years, including 25 years as a member of the New York State Judiciary. During that 25-year period he served in the following judicial positions: 

• City Court Judge for the City of Port Jervis from 1997-2008, during which he established the “Domestic Violence Pilot Project” and under the auspices of the Office of Court Administration and the Port Jervis City Court Drug Court. 
• Acting City Court Judge for the cities of Middletown and Newburgh, pursuant to special assignment from the Office of Court Administration.
• Orange County Surrogate Court Judge /Acting Supreme Court Justice from 2009-2019.
• Acting Surrogate Court Judge for Westchester County, 2016-2019, pursuant to special assignment from the Office of Court Administration.
• Acting Supreme Court Justice for Nassau County, pursuant to special assignment from the Office of Court Administration, in 2016.
• 2019 Gubernatorial Appointment as Supreme Court Justice where he served from 2019 to 2023.
• Co-Chairman of the Second Department’s Task Force on Best Practices for Article 81 Guardianship Proceedings – 2019 Appointment.

Representative Published/Appellate Affirmed Decisions

• Danskammer Energy LLC v. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, 76 Misc. 3rd 196 (2022) – NY 2019 Climate Change Act.
• Progressive Advanced Insurance Company v. Talmadge, 2022 NY Slip Op. 03919, Affirmed Declaratory Judgment Decision.
• City of Newburgh v. McGrane, 23 Misc.3d 1215(A), 897 NYS2d 669 (2009) -Arbitration provision.
• Fernandez v. Conklin & Local Media Group, Inc., 189 AD3d 785, 133 NYS3rd 464 (2020) affirmed decision on negligence and Respondeat Superior.
• Wichman v. Evers, 2021 NY Slip Op. 33462 (u), medical malpractice.
• City of Newburgh v. Leach, 175 AD3d 1015 [2nd Dept.2021] affirmation of decision to arbitrate.
• Crist v. Rosenberger, 2021` NY Slip Op 21123, SJ & pedestrian injury.
• Matter of Puig v. City of Middletown, 2021 NY Slip Op 21096-FOIL of Police Disciplinary Records under Civil Rights Law Section 50-A.
• Farias-Alvarez v. Interim Healthcare of Greater New York, 2018 Slip Op 08115, 166 AD3d 945-Medical malpractice affirmance of post-trial decision.
• Matter of Christy, 152 AD3d 765 [2nd Dept.2017] affirmance of SJ on Surrogate Turnover Proceeding.

Professional/Educational Activities/Awards

Guest Lecturer/Continuing Legal Education (CLE) guest lecturer for the New York State Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, The National Business Institute, the Mid-Hudson Estate Planning Counsel and the United States Military Academy at West Point (JAG).

2021 Recipient of the Rose S. Rosen Award from the Woman’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties (its highest award) in recognition of outstanding service and dedication to the legal community.



2022 Recipient of The John S. McBride Lifetime Achievement Award, from the Orange County Bar Association.