HARRISBURG – Julia Rater, local attorney, on Tuesday submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of State the nominating petitions required to get her name on the ballot for Centre County Judge.
“I am deeply touched by the wonderful people who stepped up to sign my petitions and to circulate petitions to their friends,” she said.
“Getting almost 1,000 signatures in less than two weeks amazes me. I am so grateful.”
Because being a judge is not a political office, candidates run for nomination by both parties [called cross-filing]. In Centre County, the minimum number of required signatures from registered voters in each party is 250.
The Rater campaign turned in signatures from 577 Democrats and from 413 Republicans. More signatures will be added in a supplemental filing before the final deadline, March 7.
“Being on each party’s ballot means a lot to me because it underscores my commitment to follow the law equally for everyone who appears before me as a judge,” Rater added.
“Every person should expect to get a fair hearing, regardless of their judge’s political views.”
Rater has practiced law in Centre County for 27 years, currently as a partner at McQuaide Blasko.
Her specialties are in areas of civil law where Centre County Judges spend 70 percent of their time, as reflected in the Centre County Legal Journal [of that 70 percent, 76 percent is in areas of family law].
Rater is well versed in the Centre County legal system. In addition to her practice, for 15 years she has served on the Board of Governors of the Centre County Bar Association.
She is also chair of the Association’s Bench-Bar Committee. Rater is co-author of Custody Law and Practice in Pennsylvania, published by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and frequently writes course materials and serves as Instructor for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute.
She has practiced before all three of Pennsylvania’s appellate courts: Commonwealth, Superior and Supreme.
An active civic volunteer, Rater says the values that inform her volunteerism will guide her as a judge: consideration, active listening and respect.
Rater and her husband, Brian, a Realtor, live in Patton Township. The youngest of their three daughters will graduate from State High this spring.
