A longtime Onondaga County Court judge who has presided over a number of high-profile cases has announced his retirement.
Judge Joseph Fahey is stepping down at the end of this year, one year ahead of the end of his 10-year term.
Fahey, 66, was first elected as county court judge in 1997 and was re-elected in 2006.
Fahey, who is an author, was on the bench for the Stacey Castor murder trial, among others, and started his career as an attorney in1976.
As defense attorney, he also worked a number of high-profile cases. He represented Gary Thibodeau at trial, the man currently serving time in prison for the disappearance of Heidi Allen.
He is currently hearing the Glenn Collins manslaughter trial.