Judge hopefuls state their case

WILKES-BARRE – Juvenile court justice. Honesty. Integrity. Trust and experience.

The seven candidates vying for the six open seats on the Court of Common Pleas in Luzerne County addressed those and other issues in questions posed to them Thursday night at King’s College.

The candidates, Mike Vough, Fred Pierantoni, Molly Hanlon Mirabito, Joseph Sklarosky Jr., Lesa Gelb, Dick Hughes and Jennifer Rogers, answered questions from audience members at a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Wilkes-Barre Area.

Six of the seven candidates will ultimately be elected on Nov. 8 to serve on the bench, completing a full complement of 10 county judges.

Three candidates, Hughes, Mirabito and Vough, work as part-time assistant district attorneys.

Sklarosky works as a part-time public defender, while Pierantoni is a magisterial district judge.

Rogers and Gelb primary handle a variety of family and complex civil cases, respectively

The candidates were asked how they would regain the trust of Luzerne County citizens, and if they had taken part in any juvenile proceedings throughout their careers.

“The bottom line is ... actions are going to speak louder than words. It’s going to take 10 years if not longer to rebuild the (trusting) image,” Sklarosky, 42, of Mountain Top, said.

Each candidate said he or she had limited or no involvement in juvenile court throughout his or her careers, and that the changes and advances made in juvenile court in wake of the corruption probe are steps in the right direction.

Candidates also were asked if judges should be elected or appointed and how they would weigh sentencing of defendants who appeared before them.

“Judges should be elected by the people they serve,” Pierantoni, 53, of Dupont, said.

Gelb, 50, of Laflin, said sentencing should be considered on a case-by-case basis, and that accountability and deterrence need to be taken into consideration when judges abide by sentencing guidelines.

The candidates were also asked about how much money they intended on spending on the general election. Their answers ranged from $15,000 to $75,000.

Candidates also addressed how they would take on cases when they are newly elected to the bench.

Mirabito, 49, of Forty Fort, said she would “hit the ground running” with her vast experience and would like to implement individual calendars for each judge to be assigned to a case from the beginning, and to have technology play more of a part in expediting those cases.

The candidates also presented an opening and closing statement Thursday in which they outlined their background, experience and campaign.

“Being a trial attorney, I believe, is the background you need to be a trial judge,” Vough, 47, of West Pittston said of his 22 years as a prosecutor.

Hughes, 50, of Mountain Top, spoke of the justice and integrity he would bring to the bench, as well as his experience as a prosecutor and civil attorney who has handled a variety of cases.