Linda Judson isn’t your average judicial candidate. Unlike most candidates who are backed up by sponsors and corporations, Linda Judson comes to the table completely free of any ties that could influence her decision making as a judge. This is somewhat unusual, as most judicial candidates have other financiers endorsing them and funding their election campaigns. However, Linda Judson is just different than most, in a lot of ways.
Linda was born and raised in Pittsburgh and has been a Pittsburgh native her entire life. She grew up in a single parent household, since her mother had been widowed when Linda was still quite young. She went to a public school and soon after high school her dream was to go to a medical school. Since her family didn’t have the finances to put her through school, Linda enrolled in St. Francis Hospital’s Licensed Practical Nursing program. By working as a practical nurse, she was able to attend night classes at the University of Pittsburgh and in the next six years she had earned a degree in political science, gotten married, and raised her son, Anthony, all while working full time.
While Linda was attending Pittsburgh University, she developed an interest in the law. She saw there was a chance for her to use her knowledge and interest in medicine in a law practice, and those in the legal profession seemed to encourage her. She started going to night school at Duquesne University School of Law and spent four years studying and working full time as a clerk for various law firms that valued her knowledge and experience as a nurse.
After she graduated from law school she held many positions that would give her the experience that she needed to be a judicial candidate. She was the risk management director at a large construction firm, worked as a lawyer for an international insurance brokerage company, was a non paid treasurer and board member with the Pittsburgh Parking Authority and a certified practical nurse. These positions gave her the experience that she needed to be a formidable candidate for judge in the common wealth court judicial elections in May of 2009.
She did run in 2009 as a progressive democrat, but lost with just 22% of the vote, which was actually not bad, considering she wasn’t the pick of party leaders and there was no scheming to get her into position. The only backing that she had was the years of hard work she had put in and the trust and respect of progressive and independent democrats and her colleagues in the legal profession. Regardless of this loss, however, Linda Judson continues to be a strong example of all of the qualities that should be exhibited in a judge. She continues to practice what she preaches and has a reputation for being fair, honest, straight forward and hard working. Her experience as a nurse has given her a real insight into people and that experience, along with her naturally intuitive and helpful personality, have given her a unique connection with those she seeks to help.
If a spot opens up for another judicial candidate, it is likely we will see a ‘Judge’ Linda Judson in the foreseeable future. She has the right stuff; the knowledge of the law, good work ethic, perseverance, and a fair and balanced view of justice. She would be a great asset to the commonwealth court and no doubt have a bias free court and bring changes to the court’s traditionally male dominated judiciary system.
