Three vie for Greene County judge
WAYNESBURG – Three candidates are vying for Greene County judge in Tuesday’s primary election that was left vacant after former President Judge William Nalitz retired in December.
The field includes a magisterial district judge and two lawyers, each of whom has cross-filed on both the Democratic and Republican ballots.
Attorney Jeffry Grimes, 42, thinks his work as a general practitioner in the law makes him a versatile candidate for judge while District Judge Louis Dayich, 53, said his legal experience and role as magistrate the past 15 years makes him a natural fit for the position. The third candidate, attorney David Russo, declined to schedule an interview for the story.
Grimes said he is the most “well-rounded” candidate whose background has allowed him to argue civil and criminal cases after spending several years as a clerk for various judges.
In addition to family law, criminal cases and real estate, Grimes said he focuses on representing landowners involved in lease negotiations or litigation with the natural gas industry.
“I don’t necessarily think that’s a mandate to be a good judge, but I think it gives me a well-rounded experience overall,” Grimes said of his background. “My goal and what I wish to accomplish is provide the county with reasoned, fair, impartial and honest decisions,” Grimes said. “That’s what I think they want, that’s what I think they deserve and that’s what I think I can provide.”
He did not think his age will be a factor and noted that his father, Terry, who served as Greene County judge for 23 years until retiring in January 2009, was also 42 when he first ran for the seat.
“I felt like it’s something I should do as a member of the bar and citizen of the county,” Grimes said. “I feel that I’m at the point in my career where I have the experience necessary to consider this. The timing is something you don’t always control.”
Dayich said as a magistrate he has worked to “see both sides of the argument” and his track record as a judge speaks for itself.
“I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty and work hard. I have a lot of common sense,” Dayich said. “I really think I’m the best person for the job. It’s really a matter of public service. I look at who can do the job and I think I’ll be the best for those circumstances.”
Dayich worked as a public defender for four years following law school and then spent the next decade as a private attorney before being elected magistrate in 2000.
“I think it’s much easier to talk about being a judge than to actually be a judge,” Dayich said, alluding to his years as a magistrate. “The difficulty sometimes is to be the person who lives in the community to make the decision. I believe I’ve proven that I’m able to strike a good balance from what I do as a judge and have a proven history of work in the community.”
Russo, 38, practices law in Waynesburg and ran unsuccessfully for district attorney in 2011.
If one of the candidates wins both the Democratic and Republican nominations during next week’s primary, his election in November would be virtually assured and he could even be appointed to the position by the governor for the remainder of the year. Otherwise, the winners of each nomination will face each other again in the November general election.