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By Sheena Delazio sdelazio@timesleader.com
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WILKES-BARRE – Luzerne County’s newest judge was sworn in Thursday to fill the seat of disgraced judge Mark Ciavarella.

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Cosgrove

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Judge Joseph Cosgrove gives his fiance, Sharon Bower, a kiss before putting on his judge robe. Cosgrove will serve out the term of former judge Mark Ciavarella.

AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER

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Forty Fort attorney Joseph Cosgrove becomes the county’s seventh judge.

In a 50-0 vote Monday, the Pennsylvania Senate confirmed Cosgrove. He had been nominated in December to fill the seat after Ciavarella was charged in the ongoing federal corruption probe.

“I am infused with gratitude,” Cosgrove said after donning a judge’s robe. “I am a little scared, but I am deeply honored.”

Cosgrove will serve until January 2012.

Luzerne County Court President Judge Thomas Burke said it is a “high privilege” to swear in Cosgrove, as the Cosgroves and Burkes have been family friends for over 40 years.

“We rededicate ourselves (as jurists) with this new colleague,” Burke said of the county’s other judges, who vowed to restore integrity, confidence and trust into the court system. “I’m very pleased to have him on board. It’s truly a personal delight to have him put on the robes.”

Cosgrove’s fianc�e, Sharon Bower, held the Bible as Cosgrove was sworn in by Burke.

Cosgrove’s father, 85-year-old Richard Cosgrove, said Thursday that Luzerne County couldn’t have a better man on the bench.

“I’m thrilled,” the elder Cosgrove said. “I can’t express it more strongly than that.”

Richard Cosgrove said he was certainly delighted that the governor of Pennsylvania nominated his son to be a county judge, but that he always knew his son was a good man, student, citizen and attorney.

“It’s a sobering day given where we are in Luzerne County,” Cosgrove said, as the county has seen many local officials charged in the federal corruption probe in the last year, and justice needs to be restored. “And I pledge to do that case by case.”

Cosgrove said the transition from lawyer to judge came at 1:40 p.m. Thursday when he filed his last motion as an attorney and became a judge just an hour and 20 minutes later.

“I’m so honored,” Cosgrove said. “My gratitude goes to no end. If I do half as well as (current judges) have done … it will be a successful career.”

Cosgrove said it is up to Burke as to which cases he will hear as a judge, but that he’ll begin hearing cases next week.

The county is still short three judges, left by vacancies of former judges Michael Conahan, Michael Toole and Ann Lokuta.

Cosgrove, 53, has been in private law practice since 1982 and previously served as a Superior Court law clerk and Luzerne County assistant public defender and conflict counsel. He also has been an adjunct faculty member at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, teaching constitutional law and civil rights. He is also a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Cosgrove has a bachelor’s degree in government and international studies, a master’s degree in theology and a law degree – all from the University of Notre Dame.

He is a past president of the Luzerne County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

“I cherish being a lawyer and I know I’ll cherish being a judge, too,” Cosgrove said.