Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Bruno, Binder battling it out for district judge
The two men seeking nomination to run for the position of magisterial district judge in West Chester and surrounding townships in Tuesday’s primary election are offering voters a choice between years of judicial experience and bold plans for new approaches to the court system.
Incumbent Mark Bruno points to his three terms on the bench and proven record of dispensing justice in the court as reason why he should be returned to office, while challenger Bret Binder proclaims that he would begin initiatives in the court that would reach out to workers, students, and veterans.
“I have been on the bench making a difference in the lives of citizens in this district, and I want to continue to do so,” said Bruno in an interview in his courtroom last week. “I have a broad base of support, and I think that tells you what kind of job I’ve done.”
Binder said he viewed the judgeship “as a chance to make a very positive impact in the community,” with new outreach programs, during an interview at the Chester County Justice Center. “The courts have taken a hit, reputation-wise, lately, and that disturbs me. I’d like to restore people’s faith in the system.”
District Court 15-1-01 covers the western half of West Chester, as well as the townships of East Bradford and West Bradford. It has perhaps the highest number of cases, criminal, civil, and traffic, in the county, and among the highest in the state. Both Bruno and Binder have cross-filed their nominating petitions on the Democratic and Republican ballots, as judicial candidates are permitted to do.
In Pennsylvania, magisterial district judges handle small claims, landlord tenant cases, traffic and nontraffic citations, and rule on preliminary hearings for those charged with felonies and misdemeanors. Terms are six-years, and the position has a salary of $89,438.
Bruno, 53, of West Chester has served as magisterial court judge since 1998, when he was appointed to serve an unexpired term. At the time he had served as a state constable, working in the district court system. He was elected in 1999 and has been re-elected twice previously. While in office, he served as a the president of the Special Court Judges Association of Pennsylvania, and as chairman of the Minor Court Rules Committee. he s married and has three children.
In the interview, Bruno said he had come to know the issues that a district court judge deals with on a regular basis, not only in terms of legal questions but in the lives of those who appear before him.
“I know the issue that citizens in this area face, like nuisance violations, drug and substance abuse problems, and that challenge us,” he said. “Every case is different, and I work on a vase by case basis, but I’ve have always been known as a fair but firm judge. I am very fortunate to have lived in this area my whole life, and know that people have special circumstances.”
He recalled how people over the years have come to him when their relative shave found themselves in trouble with drugs and alcohol, and that he had done his best to assist them within the court system. “You work with the family, and what happens in their situation,” he said. “I walk up and down the street of his area, whether I’m running for re-election or not, and my face is very familiar. People tell me that I’ve helped turned their life around.”
Bruno also reflected on his a judge must remain impartial. “It’s not just a rubber stamp up here,” he said. “You have to have some common sense. This is the people’s court, and you don’t have to be a lawyer to make good judgments.”
Binder, 38, of East Bradford, is an attorney with the firm of Binder & Canno of West Chester, specializing in business and real estate law. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Villanova School of Law, and previously served on the West Chester Area School Board. He is single.
He pointed to three “fresh ideas” he hoped to bring to the district court if elected, and promoted the idea that there should be a sort of “term limit” for judges, “so that you can get new ideas in.”
The first would be to set hours beyond the current business day, “so people don’t have to choose between losing a day or work or not going to court.” He would also bring court to individual schools in the district to make sure students in trouble with truancy also would not have to miss school. Finally, he proposed starting a district court “veterans” program much like what exists in Common Pleas Court, giving veterans the opportunity to divert their cases in rehabilitation programs.
“These are all fairly common sense programs, designed to help people,” he said, noting that he would work with the court administration to implement them.
Binder said as an attorney he had appeared in district courts across the state and county, “and I’ve seen the good and bad of it. I believe I can render decisions correctly under the law, and leave people feeling they’ve received a fair hearing. Sometimes people leave feeling as though they have not been heard, and to me that’s an issue.”
He also stressed that his work as an attorney would help him deal with those issues, as well as stating that his volunteer work in the community had taught him how to deal with people one-to-one. “I believe an attorney is just as much a member of the community as anyone, as long as they are active in it.”