Children and Youth deputy solicitor joining judge race
Kathleen Stirba, a longtime deputy solicitor for Lehigh County Children & Youth Services, is the latest attorney to announce a run for Lehigh County judge in 2021.
Stirba, 54, joins a growing list of attorneys vying for one of three seats that will be open next year at the courthouse in Allentown due to the retirements of judges Maria L. Dantos, Kelly L. Banach and Edward D. Reibman.
A Democrat, Stirba said she plans to cross-file to appear on both parties’ ballots.
As a litigator who has spent most of her career protecting children, Stirba said she has seen firsthand the the benefits of a courtroom that is operated fairly and efficiently, and is mindful of the serious impact the courts have on families.
“I understand the power that a judge holds over the individuals who enter her courtroom and I recognize the grave responsibility that accompanies that power,” Stirba said. “To be effective, a judge must have enough professional experience to understand many areas of law and enough life experience to apply sound judgment.”
A graduate of the University of Delaware and Temple Law School, Stirba interned at the Lehigh County district attorney’s office before opening her own law office in 1994. While in private practice from 1994 through 2007, she handled child custody, personal injury and general civil litigation matters. She was also an adjunct professor in the Paralegal Studies program at Lehigh Carbon Community College from 1996 through 2009.
Stirba was hired as a deputy county solicitor for the Lehigh County Office of Children & Yo u t h Services in 2007, and is a member of the Pennsylvania Council of Mediators, the Bar Association of Lehigh County and the Lehigh County Children’s Roundtable.
The mother of two adult children, Stirba lives in Foglesville with her husband, fellow attorney Al Stirba.
She is the eighth attorney to enter the race. The other candidates are defense attorney David Ritter, Allentown District Judge Rashid Santiago, civil attorneys Zachary Cohen, Tom Capehart, Maraleen D. Shields and Carlos Rodriguez, and another deputy solicitor, Eman H. Jarrah.
County judges serve 10-year terms.
“Coming to court is a stressful experience for most people, and they need to know that the judge hearing their case will be open-minded, fair and impartial,” Stirba said in a statement announcing her candidacy.
“As a litigator, I see how vital it is to receive judicial decisions that are soundly based in the law, and to have a judge who will apply the same standards to whomever is in front of her regardless of that person’s background or circumstances. That is the type of judge I intend to be.”