Albany family court judge W. Dennis Duggan voted worst judge in New York state for 2008 & 2009

June 23, 7:27 AMAlbany CPS and Family Court ExaminerDaniel Weaver

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NYS Unified Court Sys

Albany Family Court Judge, W. Dennis Duggan, was named 2007 Family Court Judge of the Year by his colleagues from the New York State Family Court Judges Association. However, as of the date of this article, he has been voted New York State's worst judge for 2009 on Courthouse Forum. The surveys and voting on Courthouse Forum are not necessarily scientific.

There have been 142 votes cast for Duggan, and his overall rating is an F. Five people have filled out surveys on Duggan. You can view the survey results here.

Duggan was also elected the worst judge in New York State in 2008 on Courthouse Forum with 5704 votes. The second worst judge, Martin Schoenfeld, was a distant second with 74 votes. Judge Duggan was also ranked the fifth worst judge in the United States in 2008.

Judge Duggan has received negative comments from both men and women.

After Judge Dennis Duggan wrote a perspective column for the Albany Times-Union arguing for the need for two parent families, fathers' rights activist James Hays of Ballston Spa responded with a letter to the editor saying Duggan was part of the problem because he awarded custody to mothers in more than 90% of his cases.

In his response, Hays said, "The best a father can hope for is the "standard New York order," doled out by every family court in the state, of every other weekend and one four hour mid-week "visit" with his children. Saratoga Family Court Judge Courtney Hall, after imposing the standard New York order on one father, was confronted by the paternal grandmother who asked, "How is a father supposed to be a father with access only every other weekend?" His reply, "He can't."

On Courthouse Forum, one woman had this to say about Duggan. "I am a single mother with three children. My ex husband had not paid child support in years. I had to appear four times before Judge Dugan at great expense in both time off from work and attorney fees before he would enforce our already agreed upon (at great expense) divorce settlement."

Judge Duggan has written many articles about family law and family court. He also has been an outspoken advocate for judicial pay raises in New York State.