Harckham, Byrne Bill to Name Courtroom for Judge Reitz Signed Into Law

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — A bill introduced by New York State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblyman Kevin Byrne to name a courtroom in the Putnam Supreme and County Court after Putnam County Court Judge James F. Reitz has been signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The newly enacted law (S.8170 / A.8456) designates Room 301 in the Putnam Supreme and County Court as the “Judge James F. Reitz Memorial Courtroom.”

Reitz had a fatal heart attack while in court in June 2019. He was 57.

“Judge Reitz was a beloved figure, whose professionalism, integrity and compassion on and off the bench brought him renown from around the state,” said Harckham. “His remarkable service to his community and love for his family stand as an example to us all, and I am very happy to know that his memory will live on in the Putnam Supreme and County Court.”

Harckham noted that Byrne originated the idea of naming the courtroom for Judge Reitz, and thanked Hochul for her support of the legislation.

“On behalf of all the lives Judge James ‘Jimmy’ Reitz touched and served, I’d like to extend our gratitude to Governor Hochul and all my colleagues in the State Legislature for their assistance in advancing our proposal to become law, properly honoring Judge Reitz's remarkable service to our community,” said Byrne. “Special thanks to state Senator Harckham for carrying the same-as proposal in the Senate and to my retiring colleague Assemblywoman Sandy Galef for co-sponsoring our bill in the Assembly. Having known Jimmy and what he stood for, there is a special personal significance to this legislation, and it seems fitting that it is the last law I will pass before leaving the Legislature to serve in a new role closer to home in county government.”

Poised to become Putnam County Executive next month, Byrne was sworn into office for his second term in the Assembly by Judge Reitz in December 2018.

A lifelong resident of Putnam County and graduate of Carmel High School, Judge Reitz received a bachelor’s degree from Mercy College and then his J.D. from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He worked as a lawyer in private practice from 1991 to 2006. In addition, he served as a Carmel Town Justice between 1996 and 2006 before winning election as a Putnam County Court Judge in 2007.

Reitz also served as an Acting Justice with the New York State Supreme Court. One of his many achievements included instituting his own Drug Treatment Court in Putnam County, which gave residents an innovative way to get a second chance in the judicial system. The drug court’s success made it a model for similar courts around the country, and was featured in an Emmy Award-winning documentary.

A third generation, life member of the Mahopac Falls Volunteer Fire Department, Judge Reitz was also a member of the Rotary Club of Carmel. Along with his wife, he is survived by his children Alyssa, Jaime and Michael, six grandchildren and numerous family members.

A Senate Memorial Resolution that Harckham introduced notes that Reitz “in every capacity in which he served, and through every program he developed, has left his permanent mark on the criminal justice community, and will forever be remembered as a determined, innovative and genuinely concerned expert in his field.”

“Judge Reitz was an exemplary public official who truly benefited the community he served,” said Galef. “It is certainly fitting that this Putnam County courtroom be named in his honor. He was so beloved and respected.”

His wife Barbara Reitz was in attendance in the Senate when the bill was passed in May 2022.

She said that every day since her husband’s passing, “someone shares a story of Jim, about his kindness and compassion, and how his strong support saved the lives of countless souls and continues to do so.”

“This honor goes beyond any legacy of any one person I will ever know,” she added. “Jim’s lifetime journey centered in Putnam County and most specifically the county seat of Carmel. His lifelong friendships became strong family relationships, and that spirit endures right here in the community that he loved so much. He bound us together through his love, and for all who knew him the naming of this courtroom is just an incredible honor. I thank everyone for recognizing Jim with this dedication, and I hope his legacy of helping others lives long in the minds of future generations.”

"Judge Reitz was a wonderful human being and a great friend who dedicated much of his life assisting those in need and giving back to the place he called home," Byrne said. "He believed in giving people second chances and holding people accountable, but also providing them an opportunity to learn and grow. Jimmy loved his family and the people who lived in his community. Simply put, Putnam County is a better place because of the work and character of Judge James Reitz and we will not forget the legacy he has left us. Naming the courtroom he presided over in his memory is one more way we will promote and remember both his legacy and service.”

Byrne now represents New York’s 94th District, which includes the towns of Putnam Valley, Carmel, Patterson and Southeast in Putnam County; and the towns of Yorktown and Somers in Westchester County.

Harckham represents New York's 40th District, which includes the towns of Beekman, Pawling and the village of Pawling in Dutchess County; the towns of Carmel, Patterson and Southeast, and the village of Brewster in Putnam County; and the city of Peekskill, the towns of Cortlandt, Lewisboro, Mount Pleasant, New Castle, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers and Yorktown, the town/village of Mount Kisco, and the villages of Briarcliff Manor, Buchanan, Croton-on-Hudson, Pleasantville and Sleepy Hollow in Westchester County.