Westchester judge named to hear Suffolk Conservative dispute

A new out-of-county judge has been named to hear the ongoing legal battle over leadership of the Suffolk Conservative Party.

Michael V. Coccoma, the state’s deputy chief administrative judge for all areas outside New York City, has named State Supreme Court Justice Charles D. Wood of Westchester County to take over the case.

A new judge had to be named because the original jurist on the case, State Supreme Court Justice Emmett Murphy, retired after he dismissed the lawsuit of Kenneth Auerbach, who in 2016 challenged the election of Frank Tinari as party chairman.

The Appellate Division earlier this month overturned Murphy’s decision, saying the party should not have installed new party committee members after the 2016 primary but before the party’s convention. However, Tinari maintains the removal of those committee members would not have changed the outcome.

Auerbach said he has not yet been given a court date, but has been told the process will be expedited. His attorney had asked for speedy action, noting the party must decide by April 16 whom to back for local congressional seats.

“We trust everyone will follow the appropriate process and something good will happen for the people who were actually elected,” he said.