‘A real star of our court system.’ Dozens send off Centre County’s top judge after 15 years
Sixteen portraits of former Centre County president judges are fastened to the walls of the largest courtroom in the county courthouse, most of which aren’t immediately discernible from a distance.
Some have white hair, about one-fourth have facial hair and nearly as many wore glasses. Each are wearing a black robe and all are men, at least until Centre County President Judge Pamela A. Ruest’s portrait is added to the wall.
The 67-year-old is set to retire at the end of December after a historic legal career that spanned nearly four decades.
She became the first female judge in the county’s history when she was elected in 2007. Ten years later, she was the first woman to become the county’s top judge.
Serving as judge, Ruest said, was “truly a great honor.”
“I can’t believe it’s been 15 years,” Ruest said. “It just went by in a flash. I really don’t know where it went. We’ve covered a lot of ground.”
More than 100 people from nearly every sector of the judiciary — Centre and Clinton county judges, lawyers, court reporters, her predecessor and others — gathered Tuesday at the courthouse to celebrate Ruest’s career.
Her husband, Jeff Jones, spoke highly of her “sharp legal mind.” Former Centre County President Judge Thomas K. Kistler, who is Ruest’s predecessor, congratulated her on a “great career.”
Centre County Judge Jonathan Grine — set to become the county’s next president judge — credited Ruest’s calm leadership, especially because she took over the top role during a “pretty turbulent time.”
The tip of the iceberg included Centre County’s former district attorney filing a 2015 lawsuit against the county commissioners, administrator, solicitor and defense attorneys.
“She was a wonderful judge,” Grine said. “She’s a wonderful president judge and was a real star of our court system.”
Ruest was raised in a working-class borough in rural Connecticut, the daughter of two blue-collar parents and the eldest of three siblings. The University of Connecticut alumna was the first of her family to attend college.
The first two academic degrees she earned — biology and a master’s in statistics — had little to do with a career in the judicial branch. One of her first jobs was working in the immunology laboratory at the Yale School of Medicine. She planned to become a biostatistician.
That changed when the Ku Klux Klan brought a rally to the university. While protests were carried out, Ruest said she “wanted to do something more than sitting in a lab doing biostatistics on a computer.”
“I ended up being a divorce lawyer, so I’m not really sure how that all worked out for me,” she said with a laugh during an interview with the Centre Daily Times. “The plan was to try to save the world.”
She moved to Pennsylvania in the late 1980s; it was anything but love at first sight. Her plan was to stay for three years before looking elsewhere, but she’s called Happy Valley home ever since.
She worked as an attorney for 21 years, spending most of that time at the law firm McQuaide Blasko. Her campaign for judge pitted her against a Centre County district judge just several years removed from law school — Grine.
The creation of the county’s drug treatment court — an intensive program for people who need long-term, highly-structured treatment and supervision — and navigating the coronavirus pandemic are among the accomplishments Ruest is most proud of.
Charting a path as the first woman to become judge and president judge also takes up a spot on that list.
“It’s an accomplishment. It’s an honor for me to be the first woman to do all of these things,” Ruest said. “I think I’m setting an example for other women and that’s always something I thought was important to do. And I think it was time we had a woman.”
Ruest plans to step down Jan. 1, though she’s set to continue as a senior judge. Voters will choose a new judge during the 2023 election.
Grine, the longest-serving of the county’s three other judges, is in line to become president judge. Grine, 49, is the son of former Centre County President Judge David E. Grine.
“I would hope that I have the demeanor that he has and the ability to relate to people and to understand the importance that you’re serving the people in this job,” the younger Grine said. “I always got that sense from him.”
The job includes overseeing the county’s six district courts, the probation and domestic relations departments, and court reporters. President judges are also responsible for budgeting and policymaking, in addition to managing a full caseload.
Ruest said she has full confidence in Grine as the next president judge.
“He’s very, very smart. I don’t think he gets enough credit for how smart he is,” Ruest said. “He’s very smart. He’s really good at making decisions. ... I go back-and-forth; he’s faster at making the decisions.”
Ruest has made a living making decisions, but hasn’t yet been able to come to peace with her choice to retire. She’s convinced she made the right decision some days; other times she is left second-guessing herself.
“It’s hard, but it’s time,” Ruest said.
She and her husband are looking forward to becoming globe-trotters. Italy, Israel, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Egypt are among the countries she’s hoping to visit after pulling back on a lengthy public career.
“Pam has worked many, many, many long days in her 15 years as a judge. We do not eat dinner early at our house,” Jones said. “To this wonderfully accomplished woman that I’m lucky to call my wife, I pray that God will smile upon you and give you his blessing, granting you health and peace in your golden years. I can’t wait to share it with you.”
