Candidate Profile 2021: Stephen Corr, Judge

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Stephen Corr, a co-managing partner at Begley Carlin & Mandio law firm, is the Republican candidate running for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.

Tiffany Thomas-Smith, a partner at the Thomas Smith firm and board member of United Way of Bucks County, is the Democratic candidate for the post.

The general election is set for Nov. 2.

Here is Corr's profile, as filled out by the candidate:

Age (as of Election Day)

54

Party Affiliation

Republican

Family

Wife: Lisa (Guidance Coordinator Central Bucks West High School)
Daughter: Michelle (C.B. South 2013, Fordham University 2017)
Daughter: Julia (C.B. South 2015, University of Notre Dame 2019)
Daughter: Maria (C.B. South 2016, University of Notre Dame 2020)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

University of Notre Dame (B.A. History, 1989); Villanova University School of Law (J.D. 1992)

Occupation

Attorney and Co-Managing Partner Begley Carlin & Mandio, LLP, practicing in Bucks County since 1992

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Central Bucks School Board 2005-2016

Campaign website

www.corrforjudge.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I have unique and unparallelled experience as a trial lawyer. I have practiced in all areas of the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County, and have represented clients in the appellate courts of Pennsylvania as well as federal courts in Pennsylvania and several other states. As lead trial counsel in more than 70 jury trials, I am the only candidate with jury trial experience. The court needs judges with relevant experience and that is why the lawyers and judges in the Bucks County Bar Association rated me the most highly recommended candidate.

The single most pressing issue facing our court is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The backlog created by the pandemic is the biggest issue facing the Court of Common Pleas at this time. For more than one year the court was not able to hold jury trials. As the only candidate with experience in criminal court, civil court, family court, and orphans' court, I am the only candidate prepared to work with the court on day one to lessen the burden of that backlog. In addition, I believe we need to work on better public access to the courts. As chairman of the Bucks County Bar Association's Technology Committee, I was responsible for working with the county Prothonotary to create and implement electronic filing. I plan to continue my work improving the use of technology in the court to make the court more accessible to the litigants and the public.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The most critical difference between me and my opponent is the breadth and depth of my experience. My experience makes me the candidate most prepared to take on the responsibilities of judge, and that is why the lawyers and judges in the Bucks County Bar Association rated me the most highly recommended candidate for the position.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Throughout my career I have represented individuals, small business and large corporations. I have represented both Plaintiffs and Defendants in civil cases, defendants in criminal matters, and have reprinted victims of abuse seeking protections form the court. I have been lead counsel in individual actions, class actions and mass tort actions, and I have been appointed by judges in Pennsylvania to serve as Plaintiff's Liaison Counsel in mass tort litigation, helping the courts resolve tens of thousands of civil cases. I am most proud of the fact that I am the co-author of the first lawsuit filed on behalf of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and that I, along with my co-counsel, was the first to obtain a judgment for the victim families against Iran, the Taliban, and Afghanistan. Recently my team of lawyers froze $7 billion dollars and prevented that money from getting into the hands of the Taliban. I am used to handling all kinds of cases, from the smallest claims to the most complicated litigation and my vast experiences have prepared me to handle the responsibilities of this job.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Civility is important, the lawyer on the other side is your adversary not your enemy.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I will not legislate from the bench. Rather, I will apply the law, as written, to the facts before me.