ROSCOE, ROCKLAND — Town of Rockland Judge Peter Feinberg is banging the gavel and hanging up the robes after 16 years as the Town of Rockland Judge at the stroke of midnight on December 31.

At 76 years young, being a judge wasn’t Feinberg’s first case in the working world, as he started working in Brooklyn at age 12 with his uncle’s fruit stores. Feinberg also worked with his father for his daily newspaper.

During his Long Island University tenure, Feinberg worked on Wall Street in a brokerage house. His career came locally following college as a Health, Physical, and Driver’s Education teacher for Livingston Manor Central School, where he taught and coached for 38 years. He continues to reside there with his wife, Debra.

“After I retired [from the school], a number of community friends approached me and asked if I was interested in running for the Town of Rockland Judge. I was freshly retired, like one hour into my retirement, and I said that being the town judge was not on my radar,” recounted Feinberg. “They wouldn’t take no for an answer. I campaigned and was elected. Fast forward, 16 years later I decided to retire.”

Family matters

Feinberg’s family is large and spread across the country. He has two sons and a daughter: his oldest son, Robert, is self-employed and lives in Middletown, NY, with his fiancée, Lillian; his daughter, Valerie, resides in Maryland with her husband, Marcus, and their two children; and his youngest son, Nathan, serves as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Hood in Gatesville, TX, where he lives with his wife, Cheryl, and their three children. Peter’s wife also has four children of her own.

Rene Edwards lives in Livingston Manor and works for the U.S. Postal Service there, while her two brothers, Edward and John Gorr, also live in Livingston Manor and both work for Verizon — Edward serving as President of the RCSD — and are each married with four and three children, respectively.

The youngest, James Gorr, lives in Jeffersonville, works at Mullaly’s Tractor Supply, and shares his home with his wife, Meaghan, and their three children. Altogether, their blended and extensive family includes seven children, seventeen grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, with another on the way in January.

‘Treat people the way I want to be treated’

In his career as a judge, Feinberg enjoys dealing with the public in many situations while treating everyone who comes before him with fairness, respect, and impartiality.

“I treat people the same way as I would want to be treated. My job is enjoyable because I have a great support system,” stated Feinberg. “My co-Judge Karrie Jara, court clerk, Alix Vagnone, assistant court clerk, and Kelly Bertholf, who was taught by my assistant court clerk, Valorie Rittendale, who recently retired.”

Feinberg has countless fond memories but “pleads the fifth” in detailing those memories. Among those he’ll miss include his court staff and co-judge. He’ll also miss the State Police troopers whom he enjoyed working with — outside of the middle-of-the-night phone calls.

“[I’ll also miss] other police agencies, the ADA’s (Assistant District Attorneys), legal aid, private attorneys, and of course many Town/Village Judges around the county who I really feel close to — almost like family. Being the President of the County Magistrates for many years, the camaraderie is priceless,” stated Feinberg.

Retirement plans

Looking toward the future, Feinberg is looking forward to being able to spend more time with his wife and family, and having more free time to pursue his hobbies of fishing, hunting, and gambling. He notes that Debra shares two of those three hobbies.

Feinberg isn’t quite out of the working world yet, however, as he is still continuing to be a New York State Licensed Real Estate Agent for Keller Williams. He noted that this, too, will also come to an end eventually.

Feinberg’s retirement as a judge comes “almost exclusively” on the inception of 2020 Bail Reform.

“I have a lot of trouble with the current structure, and for that reason I’ll be leaving the bench on 12/31/2025 at the stroke of midnight,” noted Feinberg, adding that his memories of the job and “99% good vibrations” will live forever in his mind.

Feinberg is very satisfied with his output, doing his job to the best of his ability. He will also be having his retirement dinner on November 8 at the Rockland House in Roscoe, in which he hopes he “doesn’t get roasted too badly by [his] peers.”

“As far as continuing [if] given the chance to continue, the answer is a definite no,” affirmed Feinberg. “Once I make up my mind to do something it’s final.”