Patterson joins race for Rostraver district judge

A third candidate has entered the race for a soon-to-be vacant district judge’s seat in Rostraver.

Karen Patterson, 56, announced her candidacy to replace Judge Charles Christner, who will retire later this year.

Patterson is a registered Republican and said she will cross file and intends to appear on both the GOP and Democratic ballots this spring.

Since 2020 Patterson has worked as a hearing officer in Westmoreland County and presides over cases involving juvenile delinquency, dependency and domestic relations and other family law cases.

She previously served as an assistant district attorney in Westmoreland County for 28 years and prosecuted homicide and sexual assault cases, among other offenses.

Patterson said she “is the only candidate with judicial experience and the only candidate who is in the courtroom every day.”

She graduated from Belle Vernon Area High School, Saint Vincent College and received her law degree at Capital University Law School.

She lives in Rostraver with her husband, Shawn, and daughter.

Christner’s son, Rostraver Police Chief John Christner, and Rostraver lawyer Chris Huffman, both Republicans, previously announced their candidacies for the district judge’s seat that serves Madison, North Belle Vernon, Sewickley, Smithton, Sutersville, West Newton and parts of Rostraver and South Huntingdon townships.