Press Release: Why Pennsylvania Courts Matter, Tues Sept 2, 7pm

League of Women Voters of Centre County, PO Box 962, State College PA 16804
LWVCC Website

For immediate release:

The League of Women Voters of Centre County and Foxdale Village will host an evening with The Honorable Judge Thomas Kistler, Centre County Court of Common Pleas (Ret.), titled “Why Pennsylvania Courts Matter” on Tuesday, September 2 at 7pm at the Foxdale Village Auditorium (500 E. Marylyn Ave, State College PA). The event is open to the public without registration. For Zoom link, email: http://lwvcentrecounty@gmail.com

With five statewide judges up for retention votes on this November’s ballot, it’s a critical time to understand the court system in Pennsylvania and how it affects citizens’ lives. Thomas Kistler, now a Senior Judge for PA courts, will provide an overview of our state’s court system, and answer live and zoom audience questions. Judge Kistler earned both his undergraduate and JD from Penn State University after which he worked as a trial lawyer. He was elected to the bench in 1997 as a Republican, and retained in the non-partisan election in 2007. Kistler retired in 2017, and became a Senior Judge in 2019.
Kistler seems to have relished his time with the courts, “…in my 20 years, I have held trials at a construction site or two, the Woodward Tavern, in a field looking at property corners and even in a barn in Yarnell. Sometimes justice just requires a hands-on view,” he stated in a Centre Daily Times column in 2017. He continued, “Families who deal with their problems through drug court, DUI court, family reunification or the Child Advocacy Center all know how improved the ‘system’ is from where it was just a few years ago.”
LWVCC hopes this community event will help voters learn about the PA Court system, and the Judge Retention votes on the ballot November 4, 2025. A Pennsylvania judge is first elected in a partisan race, then is on the ballot for retention at the end of their term. The non-partisan retention vote (judges are not identified by party on this ballot) is either a YES to retain, or a NO to not retain. Retained judges continue to serve, and face retention votes until their retirement. Judges not retained will finish their term, then the Governor appoints a new judge to serve until the next odd-year election.
LWVCC registers voters, provides non-partisan candidate information, and many other activities supporting election issues in a non-partisan manner. The League of Women Voters is a grassroots organization (anyone can join!) working at all levels of government to protect and expand voting rights to ensure that every citizen is represented in America’s democracy. Residents of all political parties are invited to join LWVCC to work for all eligible citizens to be educated, empowered and encouraged to vote.

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Please contact LWVCC President Kathleen O’Connell, lwvcentrecounty@gmail.com 814-232-0141 with questions.