Judge Walsh calls stint on Montgomery County bench ‘amazing’
NORRISTOWN» As he hangs up his judicial robe and returns to private practice, Montgomery County Judge Joseph P. Walsh reflects on his brief stint on the bench with pride and gratitude and calls it “absolutely amazing.”
“I had always had this in the back of mind as a career path. Over the course of my career it was really something I wanted to do,” said Walsh, who is known for his commitment to public service having previ- ously served as a school director and township supervisor. “As an attorney, this was the ultimate in terms of a career - to have the opportunity to sit on the bench.
“The experience has been absolutely amazing,” Walsh added.
Walsh, 52, of Montgomery Township, has been on the county bench since September 2016 when he was appointed to fill a vacancy by Gov. Tom Wolf. However, Walsh lost his bid to retain the seat during November’s election when two Democrats, Wendy G. Rothstein and Jeffrey S. Saltz, swept the contest for two seats
on the bench. Walsh was the lone Republican on the ballot.
Rothstein and Saltz will be sworn-in next month.
Walsh spent this week presiding over this last criminal court cases and saying good-bye to trusted colleagues and courthouse employees.
“The one thing I will take away from this is what a great place it is to work, from top to bottom. My fellow judges have been wonderful. The court staff is wonderful and they are hard-working,” Walsh said.
“From the bench, the sheriff’s department, the court reporters, the court clerks, the court criers, to the maintenance staff, everybody has been just wonderful. I’ll never forget them,” Walsh added. “I have had the privilege to meet so many wonderful people. I can in all honesty say the system works really well here in Montgomery County and the people here are really dedicated to their jobs.”
Before ascending to judge, Walsh was a found- ing partner of the Lansdale law firm Walsh Pancio where he served from 2007 to 2016. When he leaves the bench he will return to the law firm he founded and practice in the civil arena.
“It’s not like I’m moving to Florida,” Walsh joked. “I’ll be in the courthouse again and it will be nice to see everybody again.”
During his time on the bench Walsh served in the Family and Criminal Court divisions.
“I’ve always been impressed by the level of professionalism in Montgomery County,” said Walsh, reflecting on the attorneys he observed in action in his courtroom on a daily basis. “To me, Montgomery County is the height of the profession. There is a high caliber of attorneys in terms of the quality and the professionalism.”
As a judge, Walsh said he was taken aback by the opioid epidemic’s effect on the criminal justice system.
“That’s been an eyeopener. Day-in and day- out, the number of people who are addicted to drugs and it really has crossed socio-economic backgrounds. From Lower Merion to Pottstown there are people struggling with these drug addictions,” said Walsh, adding many of the cases he presided over during the last year were drug-fueled. “I think we as a court system acknowledge that and we have tried to be innovative in how we handled these cases.
“I was proud to be part of a court that really has been progressive in treating these types of cases,” said Walsh, giving a judicial thumbs-up to the county’s drug, mental health and veterans’ treatment courts. “I’m very much in favor of the treatment courts we have here.”
Walsh, a 1988 graduate of Saint Joseph’s University who obtained his law degree in 1991 from Widener University School of Law, said he will never forget presiding over weddings during a special Val- entine’s Day event that saw 20 couples exchange vows on the traditional day of love.
“It was just fun to do. It turned into this great day. The weddings were a blast, no doubt about it. That was kind of cool,” said Walsh, joking that afterward he had the reputation of being “the guy who likes to do weddings.”
Walsh said he will always cherish presiding over a naturalization ceremony at North Penn High School.
“To be there and preside over a ceremony like that was certainly an amazing experience,” Walsh said.
Walsh was a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Herbert J. Hutton from 1991 to 1992.
“I guess that’s sort of where the bug got in my head to want to do this,” Walsh said. “To be able to actually have that opportunity in my career has been amazing.”
Walsh previously served on the North Penn School District Board of Directors from 2005 to 2009 and on the Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors from 2010 to 2016.
As for the recent election, Walsh described campaigning as an exhaustive experience but said he was proud of his campaign and pleased to meet so many “good and interesting people” all across the county.
“There are a lot of good people doing a lot of good things here in Montgomery County,” Walsh said. “That has been a positive experience.”
Walsh thanked his three daughters, Shannon, Bridget and Margaret, and his wife, Nancy, for all their support during the campaign and during his time on the bench.
Walsh said he knew it would be challenging to win countywide as a Republican. However, he added the national scene made the challenge insurmountable and “at the end of the day the numbers were just too daunting.”
But Walsh said he wouldn’t rule out running for a judicial post in the future.
“I’m not a never say never type of person,” Walsh said. “I loved the job as a judge. I hate to leave it. I feel I had more to give to the bench. I would certainly open the opportunity to become a judge again at some point in my career.
“I would love to come back. We’ll see what the political environment holds,” Walsh said.