Ruest to run for retention as Centre County Court of Common Pleas judge

The woman about to become Centre County’s next president judge is running for retention.

Judge Pamela A. Ruest will take over that top spot on the Centre County Court of Common Pleas in January, with the retirement of President Judge Thomas King Kistler.

She has announced a campaign for retention for her second term on the court. The term of office is 10 years.

In Pennsylvania, common pleas judges run for retention, meaning that Ruest’s name will be uncontested and will be on the ballot for a simple “yes” or “no” vote, according to the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.

Her name will appear on the fall ballot.

Ruest became the county’s first female judge when she was elected in 2007. She came to the bench with 21 years of experience, largely in family law. She was a partner at McQuaide Blasko and is a member of the U.S. Patent Bar.

Since taking office, Ruest was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to the Domestic Relations Procedural Rules Subcommittee to simplify family court forms for divorce and custody. She is in her second term as a member of the Pennsylvania Trial Judges Judicial Ethics Committee.

She also serves as chair of the Centre County Children’s Roundtable. That group works to “enhance the treatment of dependent and neglected children.” Ruest also works with other roundtables throughout the state.

In addition to serving on the Centre County Prison Board and the Child Advocacy Center board, Ruest participates in the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, Keystone Legal services, United Way, Elks, the Bellefonte Art Museum, Friends of the Palmer Museum and the American Association of University Women.

Ruest is also a participant in the HOPE Initiative and has been a part of town hall meetings throughout Centre County, addressing the issue of opioids and other drugs. She is involved in the effort to create a Centre County drug court, which will begin in January.

Ruest said that she “continues to apply the highest standards of honesty and impartiality to every case she presides over” and that she is “honored to become Centre County’s next president judge, and looks forward to continuing to serve Centre County residents with integrity and fairness.”

This story was originally published August 2, 2017 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Ruest to run for retention as Centre County Court of Common Pleas judge."