3 seeking Lower Valley Magistrate office

Three candidates are vying for the office of magisterial district judge that serves the six municipalities of the Fox Chapel Area School District

The candidates are: Jen Evashavik, of Aspinwall, a former Allegheny County Assistant District Attorney; Matt Rudzki, of Sharpsburg, an attorney who currently serves as Sharpsburg mayor; and Dave Turner, of O’Hara, an attorney-turned-teacher.

The position, which operates out of an office located along Main Street in Sharpsburg, has been vacant for more than a year since District Justice Elissa Lang retired. Senior judges have been serving in the interim on a rotating basis.

District judges are elected to six-year terms and hear cases that include small claims, traffic violations and some felonies.

Here are the candidates’ responses to questions posed by the Tribune-Review:

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Name: Jennifer Evashavik

Political party: Independent

Age: 49

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University, JD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Occupation: Attorney.

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If elected, what are two short-term goals?

“One of my short-term goals as a full-time magistrate is to bring consistency back to this courtroom,” Evashavik said.

Since the previous magistrate justice retired, senior judges serve the court, rotating every month.

“Each judge has a distinct style and way of running their courtroom. Our residents, court employees, and police should expect a smooth transition back to a judge familiar with the district.”

A second goal, Evashavik said, would be to speak when appropriate at events hosted by the local schools or community agencies about what happens in a magisterial district court.

“Helping inform residents of potential life-long problems arising from bad choices may keep them free from legal entanglements,” she said. “The Allegheny County Bar Association, locallaw schools and social agencies are wonderful resources for our communities. Working with these professionals is an excellent way to inform residents.”

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If elected, what is one long-term goal?

One of Evashavik’s long-term goals would be to work with court administration to ensure the court is fully accessible to individuals of all abilities.

“Along with official court paperwork, I would like to include a questionnaire to all parties coming for a hearing so attorneys and residents can request accommodations to create a truly accessible hearing,” Evashavik said.

“This will help alleviate stressful situations for those who must appear. It will also help prevent last-minute postponements which can often cause great inconvenience to the parties.

Everyone should know that they will be treated with respect in the courtroom.

“I will also review and bring up-to-date all staff trainings to ensure strict adherence to state regulations creating a courtroom free from bias for all who enter.”

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Name: Matthew V. Rudzki

Political party: Democratic

Age: 35

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Washington & Jefferson College; The Duquesne University School of Law.

Occupation: Attorney.

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If elected, what are two short-term goals?

Accessible magistrates are critical to accessible justice, Rudzki said.

“For two years, the Fox Chapel area has been served by rotating senior magistrates due to a vacancy in the office. Our communities deserve a full-time magistrate,” he said. “I am committed to being a full-time magistrate with no outside legal practice or employment.

“Working full-time, I will schedule matters throughout the day rather than all at once, introduce a night court for students, working families and individuals, and offer clean slate along with fine and fee workshops to promote restorative justice.”

Rudzki said the community needs a magistrate with a record of dedication to the people and places within the area.

“I will use my experiences as an Aspinwall-based attorney, mayor and former councilor, and the son of a police chief to bring community-centered solutions to our court by promoting an equitable justice system that meaningfully and effectively serves all of us,” Rudzki said.

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If elected, what is one long-term goal?

“I want to establish a standard for what justice can look like within a magisterial district: restorative, fair and accessible for all,” Rudzki said. “By prioritizing a system that addresses

the needs of all our neighbors, we can enhance the well-being of our communities.

“This requires working as a full-time magistrate, applying and expanding diversionary programs for veterans and people experiencing additional or unmet mental health needs to prevent unnecessary and damaging incarceration, crafting solutions to help and guide at-risk youth, addressing the ineffectiveness and disproportionate impacts of cash bail, considering an individual’s ability to pay fines and if needed, using meaningful alternatives to satisfy fines, and utilizing landlord/tenant mediation services to reduce evictions, among many other programs.”

“It has been a pleasure to work alongside so many neighbors to enact positive changes in Sharpsburg and I hope to do the same as magistrate for the Fox Chapel area,” he said.

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Name: Dave Turner

Political party: Republican

Age: 42

Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh, law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, master’s in education from Slippery Rock University.

Occupation: Public school teacher, attorney.

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If elected, what are two short-term goals?

“I will implement my plan to follow up with and assist neighbors whose outcome in court is undesirable,” Turner said. “Teaching in at-risk communities within the Pittsburgh Public Schools has taught me that consistent involvement is necessary to cause meaningful changes in the lives of those experiencing hard times.”

Turner said he would work one-on-one to improve the lives of those suffering in the community, both to prevent them from appearing a second time in the magistrate court and to lighten the load of police.

“I presently perform this service with truant and seriously misbehaving students, including many presently in the criminal justice system,” Turner said.

A second goal for Turner would be to make the court more convenient to the public.

“This means scheduling specific hearing times, opening court certain evenings, holding cases involving students in school buildings and seeking permission to occasionally travel to neighborhood locations to hear matters closer to home,” he said.

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If elected, what is one long-term goal?

“I will strive to develop and broaden my plan to serve forgotten community members — victims and defendants who have come through the criminal system, landlord tenant cases and truancy matters,” Turner said. “The development of my plan includes identifying and engaging local organizations to assist our community members in need through schooling, therapy, service to community, employment training and placement.

“My plan is part of my vision to be a magistrate that applies the law fairly to every individual who appears before me, and who keeps an eye on the long-term development of our citizens.”

As a teacher, Turner said he has learned “you should never give up on anyone.”

“So, while I will hold our citizens accountable according to the law, I will do so with the knowledge that the criminal justice system seeks both to keep our communities safe and to

rehabilitate those who have served out their sentences,” he said.