Murrysville attorneys vie to replace Conway at Export district court
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After more than two decades as a district judge in Export, Charles Conway will retire from the bench at the end of the year, and two candidates from Murrysville will compete in the May primary election to fill his shoes.
Judi P. Petrush, 55, has worked as an assistant district attorney for Westmoreland County since 1994.
“Assistant district attorneys like me spend about one day each week with our magisterial district judges on their ‘DA Day’ when criminal preliminary hearings are scheduled,” Petrush said. “I’ve witnessed the impact that magisterial judges have on our communities. They’re called upon to be problem-solvers and mediators.”
Bob Klingensmith, 59, is a private practice attorney in Murrysville.
“I’ve lived my entire life in the Murrysville area, and I want to continue to make it a better place for the residents and our children,” Klingensmith said. “I feel the district judge position will allow me to use all my skills built up over 30-plus years of working as an environmental engineer and an attorney in both corporate and private legal practices, to support my community and neighbors.”
Both Petrush and Klingensmith are cross-filed and will appear on Democrat and Republican ballots in the May 16 primary.
Petrush said she brings the experience of having prosecuted thousands of cases ranging from moving violations to homicides.
“I’m the only candidate working in the courtroom almost every day, and I serve as a senior child abuse prosecutor,” Petrush said. “Because of my superior experience in the courtroom, I’m the candidate that will make the right decisions in cases before me as a magisterial judge.”
Klingensmith pointed to his broad experience in criminal, civil, family and estate law.
“My opponent has limited experience with the law, having been a specialty prosecutor in the DA’s office,” he said. “While I am sure she is a good attorney, she has a narrow focus of cases she prosecutes, which I believe will limit her ability to run a local court.”