Baratta resigns judgeship, mulls run for office
State code prohibits judges from making formal candidacy announcements
Longtime Northampton County Judge Stephen G. Baratta is resigning from the court, effective Jan. 1.
Baratta said Tuesday he is considering a run for Northampton County district attorney, among other job options.
“I’m looking at that as a possibility,” he said.
“I’ve been here 25 years and I was president judge for five years; that ended about 4 ½ years ago,” Baratta said. “Since then, I have been thinking about what I want to do with my life as another career.”
Baratta said he could pursue employment options away from government, but he also said he is considering a run for district attorney in 2023 and would challenge county prosecutor Terry Houck.
He said he cannot make any formal announcement while serving as judge under the state code of judicial conduct.
Houck, who was elected in 2019, declined to comment regarding a possible run against Baratta, a fellow Democrat.
“I’m doing my job here and expect to run again,” said Houck, adding he plans to formally announce his run early next year.
Northampton County Republican Chair Glenn A.
Geissinger said one or two people have mentioned running against Houck, but nobody has officially come forward. Matt Munsey, the Democratic party chair, did not return a telephone message.
Baratta, who won voter retention in 2017 to serve a 10-year term, said his resignation date allows for the judge vacancy to be placed on the ballot next year.
President Judge Michael J. Koury Jr. said the governor could appoint a judge to serve until the elected judge is sworn in in January 2024, but a nominee would need two-thirds approval of the state Senate.
Koury said he plans to bring in senior judges to fill in until Baratta’s replacement is appointed or elected. The state grants county judges 20 days per month for bringing in senior judges, he said, and senior Lehigh County President Judge Edward D. Reibman has agreed to work 10 days per month. Koury plans to fill out the schedule by reviewing a list of available senior judges from the state, he said.
Baratta was first elected to the bench in 1997. In 2007, he was retained by voters for a second 10-year term, followed by another 10-year-retention term five years ago.
The Bethlehem resident grew up in Bangor and is a 1974 graduate of Bangor Area High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1978 from Lafayette College and, three years later, received a law degree from Fordham University in
New York City.
He began handling civil and family cases for his father Renald’s law firm in
Easton. Before becoming a judge, Baratta worked as a first assistant district attorney and in various roles as a county solicitor.
Baratta and Northampton County’s seven other judges each earn $197,119 annually, according to the Pennsylvania Code & Bulletin, while the president judge is paid $198,837 per year.
The state’s more than 300 county common pleas judges will see their salaries rise above $200,000, to about $212,500 beginning Jan. 1.
That’s based on inflation-induced pay raises for many jurists, lawmakers and top executive officials.