Feliciani elected president judge in Westmoreland County

Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani on Wednesday was elected as Westmoreland County’s 30th president judge.

The county’s 11 judges unanimously elected Feliciani to serve as the lead administrator in charge of the civil, criminal and family court divisions.

“It’s humbling,” Feliciani said. “I am honored to have the support of the bench and all of my colleagues. It’s a huge responsibility.”

Feliciani, 63, of Hempfield has served as a county judge since he was first elected in 2003. His five-year term as president judge begins Monday, when he will replace Judge Rita Hathaway, who has served in the role since 2017. Hathaway is the first woman to serve as president judge in Westmoreland County.

As president judge, Feliciani will earn $214,347 in 2023, about $2,000 more than the county’s 10 other judges on the county’s Common Pleas bench.

Feliciani is the second-longest tenured judge on the county bench, and president judges in Westmoreland County have traditionally been selected based on seniority.

The president judge administers the court, makes judicial assignments and oversees the court’s budget, among other duties, according to court administrator Amy DeMatt.

A former assistant public defender and defense attorney, Feliciani served for more than a decade as a judge in the family court division, where he launched the Court Appointed Special Advocate program to link abused and neglected children involved in the court system with adult volunteers.

Feliciani spearheaded a drug court program specific to family court cases and, later, after moving into the criminal court division, helped create an adult drug court for Westmoreland County that has operated since 2014.

“As a judge, we have resources and the ability to do so many good things for the community, and with that comes a huge responsibility to always do the right thing,” Feliciani said.

Feliciani said he will continue to serve as one of the two judges who oversee drug court, will continue to oversee a full docket of criminal court cases and has no plans to make administrative changes with county court operations.

Feliciani said he will seek retention for another 10-year term as judge this fall.