Luzerne County Judges

December 12, 2009

State court approves early judge election

New president judge will be elected on Jan. 4, seven days earlier than mandated.

By Sheena Delazio sdelazio@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – The state Supreme Court granted the request of a Luzerne County judge to hold the election of the next president judge one week earlier.

Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Joseph Augello made a special request to the higher court to speed up the process, so that a new president judge can be elected.

Current President Judge Chester Muroski said the election of the next president judge will be held on at noon Jan. 4, seven days earlier than mandated by the state.

Muroski officially retires at midnight Dec. 31. The president judge successor is supposed to be selected by judges on the 10th day after Muroski’s retirement.

Muroski said he believes the request for an early election day was requested to keep the court operating, so as to not create a delay in court proceedings.

“Someone has to run the ship,” Muroski said.

Augello said a date has been sent for discussion to begin on who is interested in the powerful leadership role, but that no one has expressed interest yet.

Augello, who has served as president judge in the past, will automatically serve as president judge on Jan. 1 until a new leader is chosen.

Newly-elected judges – Tina Polachek Gartley and William Amesbury – will not take their seats until a completion of training school for judges which commences on Jan. 10 and runs through Jan. 16, court officials have previously said.

Augello, as well as Judges David Lupas, Thomas Burke and Hugh Mundy will have a say in who is the next elected president judge. It’s unlikely that a seventh state-appointed judge will take office in time for the vote. Only Burke, who was retained for another 10-year term in November, has publicly expressed an interest. The president judge has control over judicial assignments and hiring in several court branches.

Since Muroski has assumed the role of president judge, he has included all judges in decisions about hiring, policies and budgeting. He scheduled frequent en banc meetings of judges and updated the public on topics discussed during those meetings.

The three commissioners and controller-elect Walter Griffith will sit on the salary board, and the president judge has votes on positions in court branches, including probation and stenographers.

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