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SHAVERTOWN — If elected district judge, attorney Adelle Zavada will draw on her military background and passion for solving problems.
Zavada is the fourth candidate campaigning to replace the retiring District Judge James E. Tupper (11-3-09). The other candidates are Brian Tupper and attorneys Thomas Mosca and Gary Michak. All four candidates will be cross-filed in the May 16 primary.
“I love helping people solve problems in the court system,” the 65-year-old said. “It is almost really a calling.”
If elected, Zavada plans to be an empathetic but fair judge.
“I will give people a chance to tell their story to develop a fair resolution,” she said.
Zavada said she wants to connect people who would appear in the courtroom with resources available to help their situation.
“There are so many resources out there that are not taken advantage of,” she said.
Zavada said her first taste of working with the court system occurred during her 17-year career as an active service member with the United States Air Force, which included being a maintenance and logistics officer, a supervisor and commander of several combat aircraft wings.
“As a commander, you have to be responsible for your troops,” which meant working with the judge advocate when necessary, she said.
“This was when I began thinking about a career in law,” Zavada said.
Zavada left active duty to be a part-time reservist with the United States Air Force while attending Widener University Law School in Harrisburg.
She was re-activated to active duty following the 9/11 attacks to lead the Air Force Combat Support Center at the Pentagon. Zavada retired from the military as a colonel.
Zavada is a member of the bar associations for Dauphin, Luzerne and Lackawanna counties as well as Pennsylvania.
She has handled many cases involving consumer law, family law, employment, housing problems, disability and bankruptcy issues. She has presented cases before the Pennsylvania Superior Court and is admitted to the United States Supreme Court.
Zavada is currently employed as a lawyer at Widener University Law School Central Pennsylvania Law Clinic.
“My employer knows if I am elected that I would be leaving,” she said.
Zavada and her husband, Sam Pennartz, are residents of Harveys Lake Borough. The couple has two children, Noah and Sarah.