President Judge Gilman retiring in July
Served on the bench since 2012
When President Judge Gary Gilman took his seat on the bench in the Washington County Courthouse more than 13 years ago, he had a pretty good mentor to help show him the ropes.
His wife, Senior Judge Katherine Emery, had been a judge in the courthouse since 1996, so he was able to ask her questions about the job, whether the couple was at work or home.
She eventually was elevated to president judge – the jurist with the most seniority who helps guide the courthouse through administrative orders – before retiring in 2021. Gilman, who was elected in 2011 and won retention a decade later, was promoted to president judge last January, so he once again was able to lean on Emery’s experience when he had questions about the role.
“Having Kathy as a former president judge was really terrific because she had so much experience on how the court runs and how to manage it,” Gilman said. “Understanding all the dynamics that go with the job and dealing with the county and balancing competing interests with all the departments. Kathy was a great adviser.”
During his tenure, Gilman always considered himself a lawyer who just happened to be a judge, overseeing a variety of cases that spanned civil, criminal and family court matters.
“I think it’s the best legal job out there,” Gilman said. “You get to affect so many people in a positive way. You really get to effect change, and hopefully for the better. And I really enjoyed that part of the job.”
That work will come to an end soon, though, as the 62-year-old Gilman quietly told his staff and other judges Friday that he will be retiring July 7. Judge Valarie Costanzo will become the new president judge, taking the top role in the courthouse.
Before becoming a judge, Gilman served as a hearing officer and master in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas for about a decade. It was that work that pushed him to run when a seat opened after Judge Mark Mascara’s death in 2010.
“That was really the job that inspired me to run for judge. And it’s similar to being a judge and I really enjoyed doing that,” Gilman said of his work as a hearing officer in Allegheny County. “This would be the next step, the next thing to do in line with this work. Moving on to bigger and better things in the same venue.”
Gilman had several high-profile cases, including presiding over the homicide trial for Jordan Clemons, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2015 in the killing of his ex-girlfriend Karissa Kunco three years earlier. A jury decided Clemons should be sentenced to death.
But Gilman preferred to remember the happier memories of working in the courthouse, most notably with his staff that he reveres and will miss once he’s gone.
“My staff has been wonderful,” he said. “I’ll be selfish and say my staff is the best. It is indicative how close we become to our staff. I’ve become very close friends with my staff. It’s not just professional. It’s personal.”
With retirement looming, Gilman said he and Emery would like to travel, possibly even heading to another country for a month or so to live with the locals. Gilman also would like to continue his hobby of woodworking and making furniture. While he’s not eligible to become a senior judge yet – like his wife has been serving since her retirement – he would like to have that role eventually in a few years to continue working in the law.
But he’ll look back fondly at his time on the bench and being able to work with Emery all those years as they now look forward to retirement.
“I loved working with my wife,” Gilman said. “It was wonderful working with her because in many ways she was a mentor.”