About the judges
President Judge William E. Baldwin was first elected as a judge in 1987. He was retained in 1997 and 2007, and became president judge in 1998.
At 69, last year’s referendum to raise the mandatory judicial retirement age to 75 from 70 figured into Baldwin’s decision to seek retention.
“I feel that I have more to offer yet. I’m not ready to retire,” he said.
A graduate of Pottsville High School, Baldwin earned a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Lehigh University. He worked for Bethlehem Steel, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and graduated with honors from the University of Maryland School of Law.
He was a founding partner of the law firm of Pfeiffer, Brown & Baldwin, with offices in Pottsville and Valley View; and served as solicitor for the Minersville School District, Branch and New Castle townships and Minersville Borough.
Baldwin served from 1982-1988 as state representative of the 125th District (Schuylkill and Dauphin counties).
“The practice of law has become a way of life. Not just a profession. Serving as a judge is an opportunity to serve the public at the same time as doing something I really love doing.
“Having the opportunity to be a judge in Schuylkill County has been the ultimate honor of my life because people come to us with their cases, and as I like to tell new attorneys who are just starting, they are not just files, they are pieces of peoples’ lives they place in our hands and ask us to do justice. It’s a real responsibility.
“We work hard to keep abreast of changes in the law and to be able to give justice to the people who come before us.”
Referring to the county’s six-judge court, Baldwin said, “We listen to both sides and we try to do the right thing. None of us are infallible, that’s why we have appellate courts. But none of us take our job lightly; we understand how important our decisions are to the people who come before us.”
Judge Jacqueline L. Russell of Shenandoah Heights, was first elected in 1997 and was retained in 2007.
She grew up in Tremont, the daughter of former District Attorney Richard B. Russell and Ruth A. Russell, and the sister of Dr. Richard B. Russell Jr. of Pine Grove.
She graduated from Pine Grove Area High School, the Pennsylvania State University with a major in accounting, and with highest distinction from the Dickinson School of Law.
After serving as a law clerk for the Honorable William D. Hutchinson, then a Pennsylvania Supreme Court judge, Russell practiced law, with offices in Pottsville and Tremont.
She has served as an assistant district attorney, and as solicitor for Tremont Borough; Tremont, Branch and Frailey townships, and Pine Grove Area School District.
“This has become my profession. I like what I do, and I try to do my best to see that justice is done for everyone who comes into my courtroom.”
Russell also spoke well of her colleagues.
“I believe Schuylkill County is fortunate to have the court we have here. We have six members who get along very well. At times we disagree on procedural or policy matter, but we discuss it and come to some sort of plan and resolution,” she said. “That’s a great benefit to Schuylkill County, and I’d like to see that continue. I enjoy public service, and I’d like to continue if the people of Schuylkill County see fit to retain me.”
