Judges

WILKES-BARRE – As predicted, Judge Mark Ciavarella on Tuesday was selected to be Luzerne County’s next president judge.
The nine Court of Common Pleas judges convened briefly Tuesday afternoon to cast secret ballots. The result, as relayed by Judge Chester Muroski: eight votes for Ciavarella and one blank ballot.

One abstention. It was a secret ballot but it doesn't take much imagination to guess who abstained.

My only contact with Judge Ciavarella was when I was picked to sit on a jury in a civil case that got settled right before it went to trial. After he dismissed us he came out to say say thank you for showing up and answered our questions. He even gave a short lesson on the constitution pointing out that the judiciary is the only branch of government that relies on the direct involvement of the citizens in the form of juries. I was quite impressed with the guy as I peppered him with questions that he answered with good humor, patience and was never condescending.