MONTICELLO - Meagan Galligan thanked her family and her mentors as she took the oath as Acting District Attorney on Tuesday. With local law enforcement officers standing behind her, Galligan was sworn in by Honorable Anthony Kane.

With a long career as a prosecutor, Galligan was most recently the Chief Assistant District Attorney (DA) and will now assume the role as Acting District Attorney after James Farrell was elected to County Court Judge. A Democrat, she is the first woman to hold the position in Sullivan County history.

“We will uphold the law, and we will fairly administer justice, as is the proud tradition of the district attorneys who have come before us,” Galligan said. “As prosecutors and representatives of the people of this county, you can rest assure that our commitment is renewed not just today but every day.”

Kane said it was a special day for him, as he has known the Galligan family for over 40 years and Meagan her entire life. Meagan's father, John Galligan, is a councilmember on the Forestburgh Town Board.

“She is the latest of multiple generations of Galligans who have devoted themselves to public service,” Kane remarked. “Meagan, you are undertaking a solemn obligation as the chief law enforcement official of Sullivan County, and you are the current successor to a long line of really talented and wonderful DA's this county has had.”

Galligan made reference to the new criminal justice reform laws that were passed in New York and which took effect this year. Both she and Farrell have been outspoken opponents of the new law, saying it is detrimental to public safety.

“Now more than ever it is critical that our district attorney's office exercises the diligence, reason, character and good faith necessary to protect the American values we all swear by and uphold,” Galligan said.

She will serve a one-year term until the election in 2020, in which she has expressed interest in running.