Two more candidates have jumped into district judge races in the May primary.
Washington attorney Joseph C. Francis announced he is running for the seat that was left vacant by the retirement of District Judge J. Albert Spence, while Stephanie Gallagher of Buffalo Township is seeking the seat being vacated by District Judge Jay Dutton.
Francis, 32, a graduate of Washington High School, Washington & Jefferson College and Widener University School of Law, is in private practice. A Democrat, he plans to cross-file. The magisterial district takes in Washington, East Washington and North Franklin Township.
"The driving force behind my decision to run is the current condition of the city as well as North Franklin and East Washington. Aside from a startling crime rate, each of these municipalities contains homes and structures that are in blatant disregard of local codes," he said.
Francis said he has handled every type of case that could be heard by a district judge, from landlord-tenant disputes to preliminary hearings on murder charges.
If elected, Francis said he would institute night hours once or twice a week that would be reserved for private complaints and traffic citations, while daylight hours would be reserved for criminal preliminary hearings and actions involving city and county parties.
He is the second person to announce for the seat. Assistant District Attorney Madonna Tatano is also a candidate.
Gallagher, 42, said she has dedicated her career to the criminal justice system, working for the past 20 years as a professional investigator. She has been employed by Gentile-Meinert & Associates for the past nine years, working in background investigation, criminal and civil investigations, fraud, surveillance/ photographic services and undercover operations.
She said she has testified in civil and administrative hearings and is familiar with a variety of cases as a result of her involvement in litigation research. Gallagher believes her judicial experience along with her strong work ethic qualifies her to become a district judge.
"You must first listen and secondly absorb the information to determine a fair and unbiased outcome," she said. "I have always looked at things from all angles."
Gallagher graduated from East Carolina University, majoring in criminal justice. She recently completed the magisterial district judge course and received her certification from the Minor Judiciary Education Board.
A Democrat, Gallagher said she plans to cross-file for the seat that includes Amwell, Blaine, Buffalo, Donegal, East Finley, Morris, South Franklin and West Finley townships and Claysville. Dutton cannot seek re-election due to the mandatory retirement age.
She is the second candidate for that seat. David J. Talpas, treatment supervisor at Washington County Jail, is also running.