Narrowing the Lehigh County judge field coming in primary
By Laurie Mason Schroeder
Voters will choose three new Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas judges this year, and Tuesday’s primary will narrow the crowded field of nine attorneys vying for the post.
The winners will join a bench saddled with an unprecedented jury trial backlog at the courthouse in Allentown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will replace two seasoned criminal court judges who retired last year, as well as one jurist from the civil and family court side who plans to step aside when his term ends at the end of 2021.
Here’s a recap of who’s running, in alphabetical order, along with the rating they received from the Bar Association of Lehigh County, plus comments on the rating from those who chose to respond. More information about the poll can be found on the bar association’s website.
All the candidates have cross-filed to appear on both parties’ ballots. County judges serve 10-year terms. The current salary is $186,665.
Tom Caffrey
(R) of Whitehall Township is Lehigh County’s top legal officer. Before being named county solicitor in 2020, Caffrey, 59, worked as a prosecutor in the Lehigh County district attorney’s office and headed the Children and Youth Services Legal Unit. He’s spent nearly two decades in the Lehigh County Department of Law, where he leads a staff of 13 and advises county officials on legal matters. Bar Association rating:
recommended. Tom Capehart Highly
”The Bar Association review helps voters choose the most qualified candidates. I appreciate that the Bar Association, in highly recommending my candidacy, has recognized my breadth of experience in civil and criminal law, prior experience as a judicial official, and commitment to the citizens of Lehigh County,” Caffrey said.
(R) of Upper Milford says his 30-plus years of varied legal experience and service to the community have prepared him for a seat on the bench. Capehart, 57, is employed by the Allentown firm Gross McGinley, where he’s practiced business, real estate, divorce and matrimonial law, as well as municipal law, workers’ compensation, wills, trusts and estate matters. Bar Association rating:
recommended. Zachary Cohen Highly
“I deeply appreciate that the Bar found my over 30 years of legal experience — including deciding cases as a court-appointed arbitrator, and in civil law that makes up 60% of the court’s caseload — along with my strong commitment to our community worthy of the bench and their highest recommendation,” Capehart said.
(D) of Allentown is a former president of the bar association and was the runner-up in the 2019 judge race. Cohen, 43, is a partner at the Allentown firm Lesavoy Butz and Seitz, and has focused primarily on civil litigation and commercial law. He served as a clerk to Judge Robert Freedberg, former president judge of Northampton County and a Pennsylvania Superior Court judge. Bar Association rating:
recommended. Eman Jarrah Recommended. Highly
“I am honored to receive the highest rating from the Bar Association for the second time. It is humbling to know that my peers in the legal community have confidence in my abilities, and as judge, I will ensure equal justice under law for all of Lehigh County,” Cohen said.
(D) of Emmaus has been a deputy Lehigh County solicitor for 14 years, advising human service agencies that serve the elderly, intellectually disabled and those suffering from mental health issues. Jarrah, 46, is a member of the Lehigh County district attorney’s Elder Abuse Task Force and served on the Orphans’ Court Rules Committee. Bar Association rating:
“I respect the judicial evaluation committee’s recommendation of my candidacy for Court of Common Pleas Judge, and I take pride in its assessment that I show a strong intellect and precision in thought necessary to be an effective judge,” Jarrah said.
Patricia Mulqueen
(R) of South Whitehall Township has been an attorney for more than 20 years, serving the last 16 as a prosecutor, first in the Lehigh County district attorney’s office and currently in Northampton County, where she holds the rank of chief deputy district attorney. Mulqueen, 58, leads the office’s violent crime unit and has served as chief of the drug unit. Bar Association rating:
“I am proud and grateful to have been rated as highly recommended by the Bar Association. It is humbling to know that my colleagues believe I will bring a ‘unique and valuable perspective’ to the bench. This rating reinforces my commitment to represent all residents of Lehigh County with vigor,” Mulqueen said.
(R) of Lower Macungie touts his 24 years of courtroom experience as the reason he should be elected as a judge. Ritter, 50, operates his own criminal defense practice and serves as a part-time assistant public defender and arbitrator for Lehigh County, and has worked previously as a prosecutor in the Lehigh County district attorney’s office, where he headed the juvenile division. Bar Association rating:
“I am humbled to receive a recommended rating from the Bar Association of Lehigh County. It means a great deal to me to receive this rating after being interviewed by a panel of 10 highly respected local attorneys. I thank the panel for this honor,” Ritter said.
(D) of Allentown has been an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau for 14 years, and has more than 20 years of experience litigating criminal, family, personal injury, workers’ compensation and medical malpractice cases in state and federal courts. The 45-year-old solo practitioner is a court-appointed civil arbitrator in both Lehigh and Northampton County courts, and for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Bar Association rating:
Highly recommended. David Ritter Carlos Rodriguez Recommended. Not recommended.
“I disagree with the committee’s opinion. Public records, which anybody can search, show that for over 20 years of practicing law as a prosecutor, public defender, arbitrator and private attorney, I have successfully litigated hundreds of complex civil, criminal and workers’ compensation cases in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania,” Rodriguez said.
(D) of Allentown has served as a magisterial district justice since 2014. He said his experience in his Center City Allentown office, which includes conducting bench trials for summary offenses and overseeing preliminary hearings and civil disputes, has prepared him for a seat on the bench at the county courthouse. Santiago, 37, served as a law clerk to Berks County Judge John A. Boccabella. Bar Association rating:
”Respectfully, I am confident that the voters of Lehigh County, not a committee of 10, are in the best position to evaluate a judicial candidate; especially one who has served thousands of people as an elected judge and whose judicial temperament is on display daily for the public to see,” Santiago said.
(D) of South Whitehall practices civil law at the Allentown firm of Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, where her focus includes complex and commercial litigation, health care law and alternative dispute resolution. Shields, 42, serves on the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee and was the first person of color to become a shareholder. Bar Association rating:
Rashid Santiago Recommended. Not recommended. Maraleen Shields Highly
“BALC knows the tremendous impact that judges have on our lives. I am proud to have received the highest possible rating based on not only my extensive litigation experience, but my willingness and ability to continuously expand my skill set to ensure all litigants receive equal justice under the law,” Shields said.
Morning Call reporter Laurie Mason Schroeder can be reached at lmason@ mcall.com or 610-820-6506.