Stefanie J. Salavantis takes oath as Luzerne County’s new President Judge

Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Stefanie J. Salavantis was sworn in as the new President Judge Friday before a crowd gathered in the courthouse rotunda in Wilkes-Barre.

She is the first woman to hold the leadership post in county history — a milestone emphasized during the ceremony.

Superior Court President Judge Emeritus Correale F. Stevens, the guest speaker, said Salavantis “has all the qualities that we need in a President Judge.”

Salavantis, 42, knows how to seek a consensus and is willing to make hard decisions, he said. She also listens when people talk and is kind and caring, he added.

“Don’t mistake that for weakness. When she needs to be tough, she can be tough,” Stevens said.

He observed half of the 10 county judges seated behind him “happen to be women.”

“Together this bench sends a message to young people, especially young women,” Stevens said. “The good old boy network has been shut down forever. You can do this. You can be what you want to be. If you want to be at the court system, it’s open. It’s a wonderful thing.”

Stevens thanked Judge Michael T. Vough, who has served as president judge since January 2020.

A new President Judge must be selected every five years. While the court has maintained an inclusive leadership approach for more than a decade, the President Judge ultimately controls judicial assignments and hiring in several court branches, including probation services and domestic relations.

Stevens said Vough faced a global pandemic shortly after he was sworn in as President Judge and credited Vough with ensuring the safety and welfare of court staff and making sure people “had their day in court.”

He said all 10 judges work hard and are “very competent.”

“They brought back respect for this county. I see it. I hear it across the state,” Stevens said. “The message that they sent is that the scandal of 2010 is gone. It’s over. It’s done.”

He was referencing the sweeping corruption probe that had resulted in charges against three former judges, county officials and employees and others.

Vough said he echoed Stevens’ comments.

“It’s been the honor and privilege of my professional career to lead this group the last five years,” Vough said. “This is the best bench in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

Before administering the oath to Salavantis, county Judge Tina Polachek Gartley said the installation of the first female President Judge was an “incredibly momentous day” for Salavantis and her family, the county and court.

Polachek Gartley pointed to “Lady Justice,” the iconic symbol of a blind-folded woman holding a set of scales — an image that appears throughout the historic courthouse.

“After I administer the oath of office to Judge Salavantis, I am confident that Lady Justice will remove her blindfold for just a second or two to see and smile upon the first female President Judge this county — and this court — has had in almost 250 years,” she said.

Polacheck Gartley described Salavantis as a “humble and compassionate human being who is passionate about the law and its equal application to all.”

Before receiving a standing ovation, Salavantis thanked everyone in attendance for their support and colleagues for providing the opportunity.

Instead of a prepared speech, Salavantis said she wanted to “speak from the heart” and first address her husband, James R. McGrady, for never saying no to her pursuits and always asking what he can do to support her dreams.

Salavantis was elected to a county judgeship in 2021 and previously was the county’s elected district attorney.

She became emotional recalling the two men who encouraged her to run for political office approximately 14 years ago because they “saw something in me that I myself didn’t see at the time” — her father, Harry Salavantis, who died in March 2021, and local attorney Bruce J. Phillips, who died in October 2019.

Salavantis said she and her fellow judges support and help each other as they make decisions that affect lives, and she will continue that collaboration in the leadership role.

“I will be the face of the bench but won’t be making decisions alone,” Salavantis said. “I want to make sure that we are doing everything possible to ensure that people know that there is integrity in the judicial system and that we respect everyone.”

Attorney Cheryl Sobeski-Reedy, president of the Luzerne County Bar Association, was among those offering congratulations to Salavantis.

”I’ve been practicing law for 30 years, and to see a woman become President Judge of Luzerne County is such a historic moment, I just couldn’t miss it,” Sobeski-Reedy said. “I wish Stefanie Salavantis all the luck in the world.”