Wilson Lawyer Running For District Judge
Richard Yetter is seeking Michael Koury's old seat
Editor's note: For the last year or so, the district judge's seat once held by Michael Koury has been vacant. Koury was elected to the Northampton County bench in 2009, and his old DJ seat has been empty ever since, with a rotating line-up of senior judges filling in on a month-to-month basis.
This year, voters in that district -- which includes most of Easton's West Ward and the boroughs of Wilson and West Easton -- will choose a new, full-time district judge. We're offering all the candidates for this seat a chance to talk to us. First up is Richard Yetter, an attorney who lives in Wilson and has a practice in Bethlehem Township.
Richard Yetter announced his candidacy for district judge last week, but it's been on his mind since 2003.
That was the first year Michael Koury ran for a position on the Northampton County bench. When Koury announced his plans, Yetter considered running for his seat...for a time.
"I thought about it. I realized I wasn't ready," Yetter said.
But that was more than seven years ago, and now, Yetter says he is ready.
He says the years since have taught him a lot, as he's handled criminal and cases, custody cases, wills and collections. In short, a lot of the things that would come before a district judge.
"For example, collections. I've been on both sides of the table," Yetter said.
He says he also has some judicial experience, having chaired on a county bar association arbitration panel.
Although he stressed his experience as an attorney, Yetter said he doesn't want to denigrate district judges who aren't lawyers.
"There's good non-attorney district judges," he said. "There's very good ones. I don't even think of that when I go into their courtrooms."
Yetter, a 2000 graduate of the Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan, is married, with one son and another child on the way. He lives on Butler Street on the house where he grew up, and says that becoming district judge would give him more time with his children, rather than just seeing them in the mornings and evenings.
"I've seen the future, and I don't want to be that dad," he said.
Yetter is a Democrat, but says he plans to cross-file on both ballots. The primary election will be held this year on May 17.
Sue Jarrell
6:22 pm on Thursday, January 13, 2011
I feel Richard Yetter will make a very fine District Judge. I have know him since he was 5 years old and have seen him grow in to a fine young man and lawyer. Good luck to you and I put it in God's hands.
Concerned citizen
8:17 am on Friday, January 21, 2011
Being an arbitrator is not judicial experience: arbitrators mostly negotiate settlements.
What about Mr. Yetter's career as a race car driver? Does it show that he is thrills to risky behavior or just able to race in life-threatening circumstances? Why his silence about it?
Is being a good husband/dad the most important -- or even necessary -- qualification for being a judge?
Donna Yetter
2:05 pm on Sunday, January 30, 2011
Stating that he has sat on an arbitration panel is just one of many experiences that lend to Rick's qualifications, it is obviously NOT the only qualification, as anyone who reads his extensive resume which can be seen on his website or on his facebook page. Rick doesn't have a "career" as a race car driver, but a hobby that he enjoys that many locals can relate to. Again, you may see some pictures on his facebook page of his racing days. It is not anything that he is silent about at all. I suppose that being a good husband or father isn't the most important thing to focus on in this election, or necessary, but again, it lends to the character of this candidate, and character IS important. The most important thing to focus on is that he is the ONLY qualified candidate running in this election thus far. To clarify what I mean by qualified is that if a candidate is NOT an attorney, they must enroll in the State's course and pass their test to become certified. To my knowledge, he does not have an opponent thus far that yet taken or passed this testing to be "qualified" to be in the position of district judge.
joe
9:27 pm on Wednesday, March 2, 2011
So being a district judge will be a nice cushy job that gives him more leisure time, compared to the work it takes to make an honest living as a lawyer? He's seeking our votes and actually says that with a straight face? And what an embarrassment that our state is so bass ackwards that most of the district judges aren't lawyers. These guys give new meaning to "local yokel!"
Angel Guzman
12:38 pm on Tuesday, May 17, 2011
I am glad you are running for office. The best candidate for the people. He has the determination and know how to represent and protect his constituents. GOOD LUCK VOTE YETTER