Senator Farley Names Saratoga DA a Woman of Distinction

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I - Schenectady) had the pleasure of naming Saratoga County District Attorney Karen A. Heggen as a New York State Senate Woman of Distinction. A ceremony took place in Albany on May 10th.

The Senate's "Women of Distinction" program was created in 1998 to honor New York women who exemplify personal excellence, or whose professional achievements, acts of courage, selflessness, integrity or perseverance serve as an inspiration to all New Yorkers.

Ms. Heggen heads the Office of the Saratoga County District Attorney, which is responsible for prosecuting nearly 10,000 crimes in Saratoga County each year.  Ms. Heggen appears as the people’s counsel in 44 justice courts, County Court and before the Grand Jury, and is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for the 14 police agencies in Saratoga County. The Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office has one of the highest conviction rates in New York State, with a population of over 215,000 people.

DA Heggen is a graduate of Ballston Spa High School, earned her undergraduate degree at Middlebury College and graduated from Vermont Law School. She was admitted to practice law in New York State in 1992. DA Heggen has served as President of the Saratoga County Bar Association and as a Delegate to the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates. Additionally, she has been appointed by the Supreme Court, Appellate Division Third Judicial Department to the Committee on Character and Fitness for new attorneys. She has worked with the Saratoga County Youth Court and the Shenendehowa Community Coalition, and is a graduate of the Leadership Saratoga program, serving on its Alumni Association Board. DA Heggen also served as the Town of Malta Planning Board attorney.

DA Heggen has served on the boards of several area not-for-profit organizations, including Saratoga Bridges, The Charlton School, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County and the Dunning Street Rural Cemetery Association. She is also a member of the GLOBALFOUNDRIES/Town of Malta Foundation, an organization that was developed to fund organizations, programs and projects that provide tangible benefits of a public nature to diverse groups serving the citizens of the Town of Malta.

DA Heggen’s office works in specialized domestic violence prosecution courts to provide efficient prosecution of batterers and extra services for victims of domestic violence. Her office also has specialized units to focus on cases involving vehicular assaults and homicides, sexually based crimes and major felony offenses.