SYRACUSE -- Andrew T. Baxter, was sworn in as United States Magistrate Judge Sunday afternoon. Baxter had served as the Acting and Interim United States Attorney since September 5, 2008. He was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of New York from 1988.
As a United States Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of New York, Baxter will handle a wide variety of federal court matters to assist U.S. District Court Judges. Magistrate Judges oversee certain preliminary proceedings in civil and felony criminal cases; misdemeanor criminal cases and civil cases on consent; prisoner civil rights and habeas litigation; and Social Security appeals.
Richard S. Hartunian was sworn in Sunday as interim United States Attorney pending Senate confirmation.
The 48-year old Hartunian has been an Assistant United States Attorney since 1997, serving as the Northern District's Narcotics Chief and Organized Crime Drug Task Force Coordinator since 2006.
The Northern District of New York is comprised of thirty-two counties in upstate New York, covering an area of over 30,000 square miles that is home to about 3.4 million people. The United States Attorney has offices in Syracuse, Albany, Binghamton and Plattsburgh.
