POTTSVILLE, Pa. — The Schuylkill County Courthouse in Pottsville is where both Bill Burke from Port Carbon and Mike O'Pake from Mahanoy City have spent long days on the courthouse floor.
Both are running to fill an open seat on the Court of Common Pleas, and both have cross-filed to appear on the Democrat and Republican ballots.
Although this is his first time running, attorney Bill Burke says running a law practice with his dad for most of his life is good experience for a judge.
"I would best serve the court simply because I've been before the court on a range of issues. So one would think you would want a judge who's been in court on a regular basis on a variety of issues," Burke explained.
Current District Attorney Mike O'Pake wants to continue serving Schuylkill County from the bench.
"Because we all know that justice is blind and everyone is entitled to a fair and impartial decision when they come into court," O'Pake said.
O'Pake and Burke have years of experience practicing law at the Schuylkill County Courthouse. Newswatch 16 asked them what they would change in the courtroom if elected.
If elected, O'Pake plans to create a veterans court, helping veterans convicted of crimes get treatment and education instead of time behind bars.
"Maybe they have a drug problem, an alcohol problem, PTSD, something like that, and their actions that cause them to commit a crime may be related to that," O'Pake added.
Burke says one priority would be to crack down on absentee landlords.
"Perhaps similar to criminal terms and civil terms, and orphan court terms, that we look at a blighted property term as well. To devote time to blighted real estate to make sure concerns of the people are being resolved," Burke said.
Primary election day is Tuesday, May 16. Because each candidate has cross-filed, one or both could be on the ballot in November.
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