District Judge Michael Petrucci Announces Reelection Bid

NEWTOWN, PA — Magisterial District Judge Michael "Mick" Petrucci has announced his intention to run for re-election.

Petrucci ran in 2015 to fill the seat left vacant by District Judge Donald Nasshorn, who passed away in December 2014. The Newtown Republican ran a successful campaign against Democratic candidate Jerry Schenkman, a practicing attorney in Bucks County.

The 46-year-old judge has handled nearly 20,000 docket cases and presided over roughly 5,000 hearings since taking office, his campaign said.

“I am proud that during my first term I have kept the promises I made five years ago by running a fair and efficient court, putting the safety of our families first, and coming down from the bench to make our local court an active part of our community,” Petrucci said in a news release announcing his re-election campaign. “I have kept politics out of the courtroom and treated everyone who comes before the bench with the respect and fairness they deserve. It is my intention to build upon this record if I am again blessed to earn the support of local residents.”

A longtime Newtown resident, Petrucci is formerly a Pennsylvania State Constable and a past president of the Newtown Business Association, where he remains active. He is a former president and current vice president of the Magisterial District Judges Association of Bucks County. While in high school, he founded Petrucci's Ice Cream, which has locations in Bensalem, Phoenixville and King of Prussia.

Within months of taking office, Petrucci reinstated the Youth Aid Panel program, a diversionary program that relies on alternative sentencing, education and community service for first-time, nonviolent youth offenders charged with minor crimes.

"I promised to use common sense as District Judge and recognize the difference between real criminals and kids who make a mistake to provide those children with a second chance, and that is exactly what I have done through the Youth Aid Panel," he said.

Pennsylvania's District Court system deals primarily with small-claims civil cases, landlord-tenant disputes and minor motor vehicle and criminal offenses. Magisterial District Court 07-2-07 covers Newtown Borough and the townships of Newtown, Upper Makefield and Wrightstown.

The term of a district judge is six years. It's unclear if Petrucci will face a Democratic opponent in November.

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