Judge praises area district justices
Fayette County President Judge William J. Franks offered high praise to the county’s 13 district justices during a public hearing to get input on a state-mandated redistricting plan, which recommended no changes. “I’m very proud of the work our district justices do, and I believe they’ll meet the challenges for the future,” said Franks.
In recommending that no district boundaries be changed and all of the district justices remain, Franks said he took into consideration incoming business ventures. The jurist specifically mentioned expanding industrial parks in Fairchance, Connellsville and Perryopolis, planned expansions at Nemacolin Woodlands in the mountains and the incoming state prison in Luzerne Township.
District Justices Randy Abraham, who covers the Fairchance area, and Wendy Dennis, who covers the expansive mountain area, attended the hearing.
The lone person from the public was Margaret Rishell, who said she attended as a representative of the Henry Clay Township supervisors. Rishell offered high praise for Dennis, who covers that area.
“We appreciate her, we love her and she’s a fantastic person,” said Rishell.
Dennis’ area amounts to about one-fifth of the county, and her district borders Maryland and West Virginia. In his report to the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Court (AOPC), Franks said that when the plan was released, he intended to include documentation that supported Dennis’ position because she is the only district justice close enough to serve the smaller communities in the mountain areas.
The report to the AOPC is mandatory every 10 years for counties across the state, after the official census results are tallied, said Franks. The AOPC then forwards the proposals from each county’s president judge to the state Supreme Court. The high court has the ultimate say in what happens with the districts.
“I think any change would be detrimental to our judicial districts,” Franks said.
During the brief hearing, he also complimented Court Administrator Karen Kuhn and deputy Roberta Meese, both of whom worked on the redistricting proposal.
Both Kuhn and Meese spoke briefly to support the decision not to change any districts or eliminate district justices, complimenting the 13 magistrates on the work they do throughout the year.
“I feel it’s wise to keep the areas the way we have for the last 20 years,” said Kuhn.
The study encompassed a myriad of factors, including the number of cases each district justice handles yearly. When it was released in April, the proposal was displayed in the offices of district justices, in the court administrator’s office and at the Uniontown Public Library.
A transcript of the Friday proceeding will be forwarded to the AOPC, and a final decision is expected by the end of the year.
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