by Joseph RADDER
The judges chambers adjacent to her courtroom in old County Hall are just what
youd expect...dignified, austere, a perfect atmosphere for consultation with
attorneys and defendants.
One flight up, however, are her private chambers...offices that reflect the real Penny
Wolfgang. Here one immediately notices all the pictures on the wall...family, political
associates, famous people and memories of various events in her political and theatrical
careers.
Penny Wolfgang grew up in New York City but she has hardly a trace of a New York accent.
Thats a good clue to her complete and permanent transition to Western New York.
As a child in New York City (watering flowers). |
A member of a third generation family of New Yorkers, she loved the city as most New
Yorkers do. Penny remembers taking the subway to see matinee performances of shows like
Oklahoma and Annie Get Your Gun. She would lunch with her family
in Chinatown. Between weekends shed play with her friends in the neighborhood park.
Love of the theater was discovered when she went to these Broadway shows. She knew early
on that she wanted to be an actress.
Penny Mooneliss first theatrical opportunity came in the 6th grade when she was
selected to be the star of a play her class put on in assembly. After that she had parts
in every play right through high school. Soon she started taking dramatic lessons at The
American Academy of Dramatic Arts on 5th Avenue. Penny continued her theatrical studies in
college and during the summer she was a drama counselor at a girls camp.
Penny attended Fairleigh Dickinson University where she graduated cum laude. While in her
second year at Fairleigh Dickinson she became interested in a law career and joined the
Pre-Law Club. Her father was a printer, specializing in briefs and legal papers, so she
had some exposure to the law profession while growing up. But it was a very inspiring
professor at Fairleigh Dickinson, Dr. Samuel Pleasants, who nurtured her interest in law
until it became obvious she was destined to spend her life as a lawyer. While she was at
Fairleigh Dickinson she was listed in Whos Who in American College and University
Students. After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson, Penny was awarded a scholarship to
the University of Michigan Law School.
After one year she transferred to NYU to be closer to home. During her senior year of law
school she was introduced to Michael G. Wolfgang, an attorney and Assistant District
Attorney from Niagara Falls who was practicing law there. They were introduced by a mutual
friend while attending a political event. Within a year they were married.
On the Capitol steps in Washington with husband Michael and daughter Robin. |
Moving to Western New York to practice law with Jaeckle Fleischman, Penny Wolfgang
continued her theatrical avocation at the Niagara Falls Little Theater where she starred
in Pygmalion. She also appeared with Irv Weinstein in 3 Men on a Horse at the
Jewish Center and with the Amherst Players, starring in Born Yesterday.
In 1978, after serving as attorney in charge of the Appeals Division of the Buffalo and
Erie County Legal Aid Bureau, Penny Wolfgang was elected Judge of the Erie County Court.
And after seven years on the County Court bench she was elected Justice of the New York
State Supreme Court. In 1999 she was re-elected for a second 14 year term as a Supreme
Court Judge.
During her career as an attorney and on the bench, Judge Wolfgang has put her theatrical
experience to good use. While a Legal Aid attorney, she produced and moderated The Law and
You on WKBW-TV for over 5 years. At the present time she does legal segments on
WGRZ-TVs Common Ground program.
When asked about interesting cases that have come before her, Judge Wolfgang recalled the
Mixon case in which the defendant was found guilty of burning down the house where his
wife and stepchildren perished inside. This is just one of the many front page
cases to come before Judge Wolfgang in her 15 plus years on the Supreme Court bench.
Having fun at the St. Patricks Day parade. |
She has passed on her extensive knowledge of law to the younger generation as a teacher of
trial practice at the State University at Buffalo Law School and as a member of the
faculty of the Erie County Law Enforcement Training Academy.
Judge Wolfgangs list of extra-curricular activities is extensive. She is active on
two theater boards...Shakespeare in Delaware Park and the Alleyway Theater. She is a
member of the Buffalo Council on World Affairs and is on the Erie County Consumer
Protection Committee.
She is particularly interested in causes that help children, the Kelly for Kids
Foundation, for example. This group, founded by Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly,
counts the Cradle Beach Camp facility among its many achievements.
With Jim Kelly. |
In spite of all of her judicial and civic work Judge Penny Wolfgang manages to be a family
person. Her daughter Robin lives in Washington D.C. where she is a public relations
executive and has served as press secretary for two congressmen. Robin grew up in Buffalo
and attended Elmwood Franklin School, Nichols School, City Honors School and Emory
University in Atlanta. Pennys mother, now 84, lives in Florida and her sister is a
teacher in the New York City area.
Awards on her chamber walls are too numerous to list. One award worthy of note, however,
names her as a 1988 recipient of the UB Community-University Awards honoring Outstanding
Women.
Judge Wolfgang with Mayor Masiello. |
Judge Wolfgang with County Executive Joel Giambra. |
Buffalo/Niagara is fortunate indeed that Penny Moonelis met Michael Wolfgang, a Western
New Yorker, and that he persuaded her that Western New York should be their permanent
home.
Joseph Radder is a freelance writer.