Candidate for
Judge; Magisterial District Court; District 38-1-04

When I was first elected judge, I promised to make the court more accessible to the public. I promised to establish a night court so that people who work during normal court hours would not have to miss time from work and students would not have to miss school to attend court. I kept my promise and have continuously conducted night court for over 23 years.

I have always been concerned with our youth. I coached little league athletics for over 15 years. I am particularly sensitive to the perils of drug abuse. I have been a speaker at D.A.R.E. graduations and I am one of the founding members of the Citizens And Police Together (C.A.P.T.)organization. Each year on Local Government Day, students from Abington High School attend a session of the court to observe first hand how the justice system works. I invite teachers to make use of the court as a teaching tool. For those youthful offenders who appear in front of me, I take the time to inquire into their particular situation, including school and home life, to determine if there is something that can be done to prevent a repeat of the offending conduct and to assure that the child knows that there are many organizations and people available to help them, including the police and the court. Because of the adverse impact a criminal conviction can have on a person's admission to college or ability to obtain a job, I am a supporter of alternative disposition programs for youthful offenders, such as the Youth Aid Panel, in the appropriate case.

I believe that the court is the people's court and that the court is here to serve the public. The court is audited on a regular basis by the State Auditor General's Office to confirm that all funds received by the court have been accounted for and disbursed properly. In addition, the auditor checks to make sure that all procedures established by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts are being followed by the court. During my service as district justice and magisterial district judge I have overseen the disposition of more than 100,000 cases, and am pleased to report that the court consistently receives exemplary audit results. The court is always open to the public and anyone can sit in and observe the court in session.

I believe that it is essential that a judge be able to listen and try to understand the position of each litigant who appears in front of the judge. A judge should be patient. Everyone is entitled to their day in court and should be treated with fairness and respect. Every time that I take the bench, I bring those principles with me.