To the Editor:

I was appointed by the Guilderland Town Board to serve as town justice when a vacancy was created by the sudden resignation of the previous town judge. Now, I am running for election and seeking the nomination of the Guilderland Democratic Party.

Last November, I received a speeding ticket in the town of Guilderland. I am embarrassed to admit that I missed my court date and as a result of my not appearing, my license to drive was temporarily suspended.  When I was appointed as town justice, I brought the matter to the attention of the court and it was decided that the ticket should be transferred to another court to avoid any appearance of a conflict.

It took some time but eventually the matter was resolved and the suspension was lifted. I regret this mistake very much.

In my humble opinion, my failure to appear shows that I am not a perfect person but it also helps me be a better judge because I understand the fallibility of the people who appear before me. I wanted to let the public know about this matter before the Democratic Caucus on July 26, in Tawasentha Park and the general election in the fall.

People should always appear for their court dates. I can say from my own personal experience and as town judge, failure to appear will only make matters worse and cause unnecessary embarrassment, expense, and burden on our court system.

Christine M. Napierski

Guilderland Town Justice