Blair County Court of Common Pleas Judge Wade Kagarise

Two judicial candidates seeking election to state-wide courts stopped in Warren County on Thursday night.

Judge Wade Kagarise, seeking election to Superior Court, and Judge Christine Fizzano Cannon, running for Commonwealth Court, were at a Republican meet-and-greet held at the Conewango Club.

The Superior Court is tasked with hearing appeals of criminal, family and civil matters, unless they involve local or state government, as such cases are the sole focus of the Commonwealth Court.

Fizzano Cannon said she is the only candidate for Commonwealth Court who has been reminded as ‘highly recommended’ by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

“I want to be on it because I think I have the experience and ability to serve,” she said, citing 23 years of experience as a judge and attorney.

She said she currently serves as a trial judge in Delaware County and is the head of the civil division, meaning she is currently hearing the types of cases that go before the Commonwealth Court.

She added that she also has experience as a municipal solicitor, zoning hearing board member and township and county commissioner that would aid in serving on Commonwealth Court.

Her judicial philosophy is that “judges should make decisions based upon the law and our state and federal Constitutions. I do not believe that judges should engage in judicial activism, legislate from the bench or insert their own policy preferences into their decision making.”

Wade Kagarise, seeking a Superior Court seat, is currently serving as a Court of Common Pleas judge in Blair County.

“I am running because I think we needed experience and well-rounded judges on Superior Court,” he said.

Noting that 65 percent of Superior Court cases are criminal cases, Kagarise said his experience includes 15 years as a prosecutor where he “handled every kind of case there was.”

He said that “very few” judges on the Superior Court have prosecutorial experience. And while many of the appellate court judges are from Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, Kagarise said that the Republican ticket this cycle is geographically balanced, including with him being from Blair County.

Acknowledging that urban and rural areas face different challenges, Kagarise said that he thinks “that message is appealing to Republicans and Democrats… That like the idea of having judges from rural communities. Our judges believe in following the law, interpreting the law, not judicial activism.

“I’m hardworking. I’m fair. When I’m the judge, it doesn’t matter what I think. It only matters what the law is.”

These are just two of many candidates seeking election to state-wide courts next week.

Republican Sallie Mundy will face off against Democrat Dwayne Woodruff for a seat on the Supreme Court while retention votes will be held for current justices Thomas Saylor and Debra Todd.

Four seats are up on the Superior Court.

In addition to Kagarise, Republican candidates include Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Steadman, Northampton Court of Common Pleas Judge Emil Giordano and Allegheny County Magisterial District Judge Mary Murray.

Democratic candidates include incumbent H. Geoffrey Moulton, Jr., Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Judge Carolyn H. Nichols, Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Judge Maria McLaughlin and Beaver County Court of Common Pleas Judge Deborah A. Kunselman in addition to Green Party candidate Jules Mermelstein.

For Commonwealth Court, Fizzano Cannon and Republican colleague Paul Lalley are challenged by five Democrats – incumbent Joseph Cosgrove, Todd Eagen, Ellen Ceisler, Bryan Barbin, W. Timothy Barry and Irene McLaughlin Clark for two seats on the bench.