Pocono News Section

Senate Confirms Two New Luzerne County Judges

Senate Confirms Two New Luzerne County Judges - Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 04:03AM EST

Reported by: Mark Hiller
Wednesday March 17 2010
HARRISBURG, DAUPHIN COUNTY - Help is on the way for Luzerne County's depleted court of common pleas.

The State Senate confirmedtwo veteran attorneys to fill judicial vacancies. Tuesday's senate floor vote came just hours after the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously recommended Joseph Van Jura and Lewis Wetzel. Governor Ed Rendell had nominated both men to replace judges Michael Toole and Peter Paul Olszewski.

The 63-year-old Van Jura was nominated to replace Judge Toole who resigned in December after pleading guilty to a corruption charge. The 67-year-old Wetzel was nominated to replace Judge Olszewski whose seat on the bench became open after voters rejected his retention bid in November. Van Jura is from Kingston while Wetzel lives in Dallas. Both appointees will help handle a backlog of cases waiting to be heard in Luzerne County.

The court was left especially lean not only because of the departures of Judges Toole and Olszewski, but also because of former Judge Mark Ciavarella's resignation in the corruption scandal. The senate took action on that in January when it confirmed Joseph Cosgrove to fill Ciavarella's seat on the bench.

Cosgrove has gone on record saying he has no interest in serving beyond the remainder of Ciavarella's term which expires in January 2012. Van Jura and Wetzel are also committed to serving 2-year interim terms. Both men could take the oath of judge as early as Friday.

It's considered unusual for the Senate to hold a confirmation vote so suddenly after a confirmation hearing. But in the words of 20th District Republican Senator Lisa Baker of Lehman Township, "We're really trying to be mindful of the needs of the court."