October 19 Issue - Newspaper - Page 18
EDITION 8
October 19 2023
Page 18
VOTE YES TO
Retain Judges Valarie Costanzo and Michael Lucas
Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas - 27th Judicial District
The Washington County
Court of Common Pleas
has two judges who are
on the ballot in the
general election for
retention. The Court of
Common Pleas is the
trial level court in
Washington County.
Judges Valarie Costanzo
and Judge Michael
Lucas.
Pennsylvania has minor
courts which oversee
summary offenses, but
the primary courts are
the Courts of Common
Pleas. This court is
where most
misdemeanor and all
felony criminal cases are
disposed of, where
Orphan's Court matters
are addressed, and
where larger civil cases
are originated. Family
law matters, such as
custody, divorce, and
support are also
addressed at the primary
level under the
supervision of the Court
of Common Pleas for a
county.
election, sparking her
first ten-year term in the
office. Throughout those
ten years Costanzo has
served the court in
multiple case type
capacities.
Judge Valerie Costanzo
Judge Valarie
Costanzo
Judge Costanzo is a
lifelong resident of
Washington County and
stated that she is
“honored to be a judge
at the Washington
County Court of
Common Pleas. I grew
up in Canonsburg and
“In 2013, after a very
competitive race with
seven opponents, both
myself and Mike Lucas,
were elected to fill the
two vacancies on the
Court of Common Pleas.
At various times over
the past ten years, I have
presided over divorce
and custody cases,
juvenile delinquency
hearings, DUI court,
termination of parental
rights hearings, and
adoption cases. The past
The Weekly Recorder
believes that both Judge
Costanzo and Judge
Lucas have earned
retention for another
ten-year term. Both
Judges have proven
during their terms that
they represent the
Washington County
Court of Common pleas
in a purely nonpolitical,
professional and by the
law standard.
“In my courtroom,
justice does not have a
color, a party, or an
agenda. It does not
matter what side of the
aisle you are from, or if
you have an “R” or a
“D” next to your name.
In my courtroom,
decisions are never
based on political
ideologies, but are
always based on the law
and the evidence
presented. There is
absolutely no place for
politics in my
courtroom.”
The Washington County
Court of Common Pleas
is a part of the 27th
Judicial District of
Pennsylvania,
comprising all of
Washington County,
Pennsylvania.
Judges in Pennsylvania
at the Common Pleas
level can be seated in
many ways, as the result
of an election, retention,
or appointment. Elected
judges are seated after
competing in a primary
election and a general
election. They are
allowed to seek party
nominations. Candidates
are allowed to cross-file
under both major
political parties. These
Judges are elected to
10-year terms. At the
conclusion of the ninth
year of a judge's term,
the judge may file for
retention. Both
Constanzo and Lucas
have filed for retention.
A retention election is a
yes/no vote on whether a
judge should be
permitted to continue to
serve as judge.
courtrooms. Costanzo
said that “regardless of
our political leanings, I
hope we can all agree
that the cornerstone of a
fair and impartial
judiciary is the equitable
treatment of every
citizen. If judges were to
be elected based on
political affiliation, we
would risk undermining
the very essence of
justice. Retention is
intended to allow judges
to be free of partisan
pressure, which is more
important in Washington
County today, than ever
before.”
Washington County Courthouse
graduated from Canon
McMillan High School
in 1987. For the past 27
years, I have made Cecil
Township my home. I
graduated from the
University of Pittsburgh
magna cum laude and
Phi Beta Kappa in 1991,
and from The University
of Pittsburgh Law
School in 1994.”
Costanzo has enjoyed a
successful career in law
and got her start serving
as a prosecutor in
Washington County. “I
began my career as a
prosecutor in the
Washington County
District Attorney’s
office,” she stated.
“Never imagining that I
would someday be a
judge in the very
courtroom I practiced in
fresh out of law school;
my very first court
appearance as a young
Assistant District
Attorney was in
courtroom number 3,
which is now my
courtroom. In 1998, I
was appointed
Magisterial District
Judge by Governor Tom
Ridge. My district
encompassed Cecil
Township, McDonald,
Mt. Pleasant Township,
and Robinson Township.
I was elected to the
office in 1999, 2005,
and again in 2011.”
To get to the bench
where she currently
serves, Costanzo
outpaced seven
opponents in the 2013
several years, I have
been assigned a full
criminal docket and
presided over jury trials
for violent felony
offenses including rape,
strangulation, drug
delivery resulting in
death, aggravated
assault, and attempted
homicide.
“This November, my
name will appear on the
ballot for retention.
Basically, the voters will
be asked a short
question: “shall Valarie
Costanzo be retained for
an additional term as
judge?” It is a simple
yes or no vote.
The Court of Common
Pleas position requires
its judges to uphold the
law in a purely
nonpartisan and
fact-based manner.
Judge Costanzo has met
this requirement
consistently.
She stated, “as I am out
in the community
talking to my friends and
neighbors about my
retention election, many
have asked me why not
have a partisan election
instead. My answer is
that retention is
specifically designed to
keep judges out of the
political fray, but at the
same time hold them
accountable.”
There is a fundamental
principle that transcends
partisan boundaries; the
absolute necessity to
remove politics from our
Costanzo is truly proud
of her first ten years on
the bench and said that
“it has truly been a
privilege serving as your
judge these past ten
years, and I would be
honored to continue to
do so. If you agree that a
fair, impartial, and
independent judiciary is
essential, then I humbly
ask that you vote yes for
my retention on
November 7th. “
Judge Michael Lucas
Judge Michael Lucas
Judge Lucas is a resident
of Carroll Township and
serves as a Judge in the
Court of Common Pleas
of Washington County.
The Weekly Recorder
also believes that Judge
Lucas has served the
county in an exemplary,
nonpartisan fashion and
has represented the court
and the citizens of the
county with the utmost
respect for facts
presented, and respect
for the laws.
Judge Lucas released the
following statement to
The Weekly Recorder.
The job of a judge is not
to be done for power,
prestige, or profit. It is a
privilege and a sacred
trust.
For Judge Costanzo and
me, that privilege and
trust was placed in us
following a 2013
contested election that
included seven
candidates vying for two
vacant positions. In the
primary, we received
bipartisan support and
were the nominees for
both parties.
The Pennsylvania
Constitution (Article 5
Section 15) requires that
after a judge has served
nearly a decade, the
voters get to decide
whether that judge
remains worthy of that
privilege and trust. This
is accomplished by a
non-partisan retention
election, where voters
are asked “yes” or “no,”
should this judge be
retained.
Rightfully, a Judge is not
permitted to promise
how he or she would
rule on certain issues. To
assist voters in making
this important decision, I
ask that you consider my
experience as a judge
and my approach to that
work.
I have served in all three
divisions, being the
Criminal, Civil and
Orphans Court
Divisions, of our Court
of Common Pleas. I
have presided over
family court cases and
for 6 years was the lead
dependency court judge.
In addition to my daily
duties in presiding over
cases, I reinstituted and
then chaired for 6 years
our Children’s
Dependency Court
Roundtable, served as
Chair of Region 4 State
Roundtable, and was
co-chair of the 2019
Children’s Summit,
sponsored by the
Pennsylvania Supreme
Court’s Office of
Children and Families.
In 2021, I gained
certification in Civil
Mediation from the
National Judicial
College in Nevada.
No matter the type of
case, my approach is
guided by 4 principles:
1) Treat everyone with
respect; 2) Let parties be
heard and give them
their day in court; 3) Try
to bring the temperature
down in the room, that
is, actively seek and
assist parties to resolve
their disputes, short of
all or nothing litigation;
and 4) when called upon
to decide a case, judge
the facts fairly, faithfully
apply the law as it is (we
are not policy makers);
and be transparent by
giving reasons, in
writing, for the decision
I make.
If retained, I promise to
bring this judicial
experience and approach
to the work that is both a
privilege and trust that
you, the voter, decide.
Respectfully, I ask for
you to vote yes to retain
both Judge Constanzo
and me. Thank you for
your time and
consideration.
The Weekly Recorder
highly recommends
voters check YES on the
ballot to retain both
Judges Costanzo and
Lucas.
