Forty years ago, when Al Williams ran against Mike Franciosa for judge, the Northampton County Bar Association gave Williams a higher rating. Williams ended up winning the race, and Franciosa had to wait a few years before donning that black robe.As you might imagine, this decision led to some soul-searching by Easton (Franciosa) and Bethlehem (Williams) lawyers. Was it just a popularity contest? Although Judges Franciosa and Williams certainly worked well together, the local bar shied away from judicial evaluations.
Until now.
After years of prodding, the local bar has finally decided to do these evaluations again. That decision was made months ago, when most of the hopefuls were unknown. Questionnaires have been sent to the bar's 500 members so they can rate the eight judicial candidates jockeying for three open seats next year. They're due back on April 16, and bar association officials are placing them unopened in a separate envelope for review by an accountant.
I'm unable to confirm whether candidates were really asked to engage in a swimsuit competition.
Judicial candidates will be rated as unqualified, qualified or highly qualified. When results are announced, the bar association will make clear that these are the opinions of those who responded to the questionnaire. If only 60 lawyers respond, that will be made clear.
The danger of these evaluations is they can be used to ruin one candidate that lawyers simply dislike or don't know, even if he's qualified. One of the eight candidates may come back "qualified" while the remainder are "highly qualified."
For local races, these evaluations are too easily abused as a popularity contest. Judicial hopefuls include Judge Lenny Zito, Magistrate Jim Narlesky and Michael Koury, Northampton County Solicitor Karl Longenbach, attorneys Sam Murray, Barb Hollenbach and Candy Barr Heimbach and State Rep. Craig Dally.
12 comments:
Bernie how are you voting?? oh shoot!! thats right mad bad.
Readers, the commenter was not clear. What he was trying to do was tell you that I have no vote to cast bc my law license was suspended in '85. If you want to slam me, you have to do a better job than that.
To Anon 1:40 PM, get a life. Also, what highly respected profession claims you as a member? Huh?
As far as the comment, IMO there are no candidates who are "Unqualified". I think these types of surveys should only have 2 categories Unqualified and Qualified. That way the local bar can simply notify the public, via survey results, in the event there is a candidate who should not become a judge.
Also, for what it's worth, I offer the following assessment:
Zito: given he's a judge, you'd have to find a reason why he shouldn't continue. Not sure there is any. Didn't like the whole illegals are not illegal comment, though.
Dally: fleeing Harrisburg, which show he has good judgment. People seem to think he was a good rep. A difficult transition though, not sure he'll enjoy it.
Hollenbach: atty. w/ a good reputation, and a history of trial experience.
Heimbach: ditto.
Narlesky: currently a Magistrate, formerly a lawyer. Obviously knows the law and has experience.
Koury: currently a Magistrate, formerly lawyer. Obviously knows the law. However, when someone runs for an office and loses 2x, the question it raises is "if we didn't elect twice before, why now?"
Murray: don't know much about him, but appears to have 1/2 of Easton behind him.
Logenbach: nothing bad to say about him, however, he may be in for a long slog. good luck
Dear 7:57,
You really went out on a limb there.
BTW, didn't Lehigh Couny's Judge Jim Anthony run a couple times before getting elected?
Zito gave illegal immigrants who violated our law probation. He then gave a man who broke seventeen bones in his son's two year old body probation. Recently, a molester that he previously gave probation to was back in front of him on similar facts. This time he had to put him in jail. These are but a few reasons not to keep him.
Bernie, two points -
First, given the fact that the local media, both print and television do not provide adequate coverage of judicial races (probably due to the restraints placed on the candidates to address the issues), any information available to help educate and inform the voters is helpful. An example of the need for this is the comment that Sam Murray is an Easton only candidate. I also don't believe the fact that a person is a District Judge in and of itself qualifies that person to be a Common Pleas Judge.
Second, I would also like to see more information on Magisterial District Judge candidates. I would be especially interested in whether a candidate had passed the examination BEFORE THE ELECTION.
Anon 9:34,
I will try to do more. I have written specifically about just about every candidate at least once. We are fortunate in that every one of them should probably be rated as "highly qualified."
As far as DJ candidates go, I've paid very little attention and will try to improve that. Although I do not think it is imprtant that the candidate go to class before he is elected, I will ask each that question. lawyers, as you probably know, are exempt from that requirement.
Last, Sam Murray is by no means an "Easton only" lawyer. The comment was that half of Easton is already behind him. He also gets a lot of support from Hanover Tp and a lot of people remember his coaching skills in Bethlehem. As a Master, he heard cases from all over the county.
I appreciate your suggestions.
Dear Anonymous-
Not only Jim Anthony in Lehigh County but right here in Northampton County. Jim Narlesky lost the primaries for judge in 1989 and 1997. This is his 3rd run and he never got out of a primary. Ed Smith lost in 1997 to Judge Barrata and then beat Koury in the general election in 2001.
Roscioli and Beltrami lost the primaries in 2003 to Koury and Giordano and then won in 2005. Judge Zito lost the 2001 primary to Ed Smith and Mike Koury. Giordano lost to Morganelli for DA and then won in 2003. Judge Franciosa lost to Judge Williams and then won a few years later. Should I go on?
Sure-attack Zito and Koury. I guess the other candidates' poll results are coming in....
Annon 7:57, Yawn, gee now I know who to vote for.
Go Sam Go!
Sam Murray is the one for Judge! He has what it takes and never lets his politics or the like take over his principals, faith, and moral character.
Murray for Judge!
The Northampton County Court of Common Pleas Judges, five years ago, TRUSTED Sam Murray's legal and courtroom acumen, and HAND-PICKED SAM MURRAY to hear cases and make his recommendations to them, in THOUSANDS of juvenile and costudy matters that came before him in the next five years, and Sam did a hell of a job!
He'll make a GREAT Common Pleas Court Judge! Vote for Sam Murray!
Wasn't Raymond Lahood Michael Khoury's campaign manager on one of his failed attempts to run as a judicial candidate?
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