Peter Degnan
Republican · NY · Acting Allegany County District Attorney
Peter Degnan has been the acting Allegany County District Attorney since January 2026, after three decades as a private lawyer, public defender, and assigned counsel. He wants safe neighborhoods and stores and to steer people who are arrested toward better behavior.
Where Peter Degnan stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (8 records), Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties (1 record), Civil Rights (3 records)
Track record
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 8 support
Won a guilty plea from Scot Thompson to two counts of second-degree murder for killing his two brothers. Degnan and his first assistant prosecuted the case.
September 21, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: wellsvillesun.com
Reported 78 felony indictments so far in 2026, up from 66 in all of 2025. He also said losing another part-time assistant left his office unable to cover the courts it must cover. He estimated the cost of hiring lawyers by the hour at $250,000 to $500,000.
August 5, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: alleganyco.gov
Won county committee approval for a 10-year contract with Axon to review and share digital evidence, such as police body camera video. The contract costs $176,734.40 in total, paid by the county.
July 1, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: alleganyco.gov
Told county lawmakers his office did not have enough lawyers to meet the court rule of two prosecutors per trial. He called the staffing shortage a public safety crisis.
May 6, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: alleganyco.gov
Presented a double murder case to a grand jury with his first assistant. The grand jury charged Scot Thompson with two counts of second-degree murder in the shooting deaths of his two brothers at a Town of Allen hunting cabin.
April 29, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: wellsvillesun.com
Won county committee approval to create a paralegal job in the District Attorney's office. He said lawyers needed help with the heavy work of sharing evidence with the defense. He cut a typist job to pay for it.
April 1, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: alleganyco.gov
Asked, with the county administrator, for a contract with a company to run a new traffic diversion program. The program lets drivers with tickets take a driver safety course instead of pleading. The county Public Safety Committee approved the request.
February 4, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: alleganyco.gov
Told Allegany County lawmakers that New York's bail reform law "has done a lot of damage" to the justice system. He spoke as an assistant district attorney. He said people get arrested, get released, and commit new crimes.
January 4, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: alleganyhopewny.org
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 1 support
Reported that his office rebuilt the county's list of lawyers for poor defendants. The list had been nearly empty in March 2023 and grew to more than 35 lawyers. The office handled 695 cases from March 2023 to March 2024.
February 21, 2025Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: alleganyco.gov
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 3 support
Proposed paying outside lawyers to defend people at first court hearings under the county's new central arraignment plan. The plan set pay at $250 a day on call plus $150 per hearing, up to $550 a day. State funds cover the cost. The county Public Safety Committee approved it.
June 5, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: alleganyco.gov
Told county lawmakers that his Conflict Defender office had won a new state grant of up to $750,000. The money pays for lawyers for low-income people in Family Court.
January 3, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: alleganyco.gov
Asked for a new full-time assistant lawyer in the county Conflict Defender's office. The job was paid fully by state money. The county Public Safety Committee approved it.
October 4, 2023Supports Civil Rights
Source: alleganyco.gov
Track record — General
General · 3 records
Was sworn in as acting Allegany County District Attorney. He took over after District Attorney Ian Jones became the county court judge.
January 1, 2026
Source: wellsvillesun.com
Told county lawmakers he was deeply disappointed with the renovation of the new Conflict Defender building. He said contractors left work unfinished and did poor work. He said he reported his concerns to the state office that funds the project.
September 3, 2025
Source: alleganyco.gov
Was appointed by the Allegany County Board of Legislators as the county's first Conflict Defender (Resolution 88-23). He left his job as second assistant district attorney. The job pays lawyers for poor defendants when the Public Defender cannot take a case. The term ran from March 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025, at $103,680 a year.
February 22, 2023
Source: alleganyco.gov
Past race Peter Degnan ran in:
- Allegany County District Attorney · November 3, 2026 · Allegany County, New York · incumbent