A 2nd Candidate Will Challenge Karen Zucker In Magistrate Race
Joe Hirsch is the third candidate to enter the Democratic Primary for Magistrate in District 38-2-04.
Lower Merion and Narberth are divided into three magisterial districts. District 38-2-04 includes voting precincts:
3-1, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 8-1, 8-3, 9-1, 9-2, 9-3, 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 13-1, 13-2, 13-3, 14-1, 14-2 an 14-3.
Joe Hirsch
Karen Zucker is the incumbent and is running for her fourth six-year term. She was first elected in 2003. Zucker was endorsed on a first-ballot vote (60% or more) by the Democratic Committee of Lower Merion Narberth (DCLMN).
Andy Kronfeld is also running for Magistrate in this district. Unlike Kronfeld, who argues that not being a lawyer makes him more qualified for the position, Hirsch emphasizes his 28 years of practicing law. According to his website, Hirsch has maintained an office in Lower Merion for the last 25 years. Zucker is also an attorney.
In an email, Hirsch wrote, “I believe my experience is materially different from that of the other candidates in this race. Having extensive trial experience as an advocate is quite different from the experience of sitting on the bench and hearing cases. That experience makes me unique among the candidates, and also makes me highly qualified to serve as District Judge.
My courtroom experience comes from taking cases to trial, examining witnesses and presenting evidence, and I have also done all of the trial preparation work that occurs behind-the-scenes. This involves working closely with people with real life problems and disputes, really getting to know them, and becoming intimately familiar with the details of their cases in order to fairly and accurately present their cases in court. It is an intense experience to work so closely with people on matters of great personal concern to them, and a weighty responsibility to serve them well in the courtroom and help them achieve fair and just results. I’m not sure there is anything else quite like it.
Having the experience of trying cases and working closely with the real people who come before the courts, whether individuals or business entities, gives me a different perspective, a view from the trenches, that makes me particularly well suited for the work of District Judge.”
When asked why he didn’t seek the endorsement of DCLMN, Hirsch responded, “I didn’t ‘decide’ not to seek the DCLMN endorsement. Rather, I was unaware that the endorsement meeting was happening. I would have welcomed the opportunity to introduce myself to the DCLMN and make my pitch for the endorsement – even if there was little to no likelihood that the DCLMN would endorse someone other than the incumbent. I should add that I discovered the petition deadline late in the game, so I hadn’t even submitted my petition as of the time of the endorsement meeting. It is a little puzzling that the DCLMN would make an endorsement decision before the petition deadline and without knowing who would appear on the ballot.”
It has been my honor to know Joe Hirsch for over twenty years and I look forward to calling him “your honor” in the near future. Over the years I have asked him to help with several legal matters. He has given me sage advice that achieved a fair result allowing me to work through several delicate situations without resulting in any long-term enmity.