Torrey Landis Runs for Magisterial District Judge

In prior years, local politics were often dismissed as uninteresting and mostly irrelevant. Now, people are beginning to understand how local elections can affect the course of their daily lives. Another round of elections is fast approaching in Pennsylvania, and one of the important positions on the ballot is that of magisterial district judge. In Lancaster County, 13 of the 19 magisterial district judge positions are up for election.

The Magisterial District Courts are part of the first level of Pennsylvania’s judicial system, with multiple courts per county, and judges are elected for six-year terms. A magisterial district judge oversees minor criminal cases, sets bail, issues search warrants and arrest warrants, and holds preliminary arraignments and criminal hearings to determine whether a more serious criminal case will advance to the Court of Common Pleas. The judge also handles all traffic cases, presides over civil disputes and landlord-tenant cases, and even performs weddings. A magisterial district judge is the first member of the state’s judiciary that a citizen would face — and perhaps the only one.

Torrey Landis, a conservative Republican and a lifelong resident of Ephrata, is one of two candidates running for magisterial district judge in Ephrata Borough, Ephrata Township, Akron Borough and Clay Township. Landis is a husband, the father of two children, and an active member of his church. He has a heart for the youth of his community and serves as a parent volunteer in the Ephrata Area School District, as a coach for youth football and wrestling, and by teaching hunter safety to new hunters and local Boy Scouts.

His campaign platform is conveyed succinctly in six points: to ensure fair and equal justice, to keep the community safe, to run an efficient court, to serve as a full-time judge, to reflect the community’s values, and to teach kids right from wrong. He understands that sometimes minors land in court because they make mistakes, rather than their actions being indicative of habitual criminal behavior, and one mistake shouldn’t prevent them from succeeding in life. “We can help teach kids right from wrong in the judicial sense by utilizing common-sense diversionary programs that require things like community service, mentoring and more,” he told The Lancaster Patriot. “Non-judicially, but just as important, is the need to come down from the bench and visit schools and youth organizations to serve as an example and mentor toward good behaviors.”

Landis would bring lots of experience to the bench. For 14 years, he has been serving in the local elected office of Pennsylvania state constable, and he has been personally involved in hundreds of cases in the very district court he would be presiding in. “Through my daily interactions with the court and its staff,” he said, “I also understand the vital administrative operations that are part of running the court.” Landis explained that he is the only candidate who has received formal training in both civil and criminal law — an important point since civil cases make up nearly two-thirds of the cases the Ephrata court handles. Landis also serves as an officer of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which has given him broader experience than what comes with standard law enforcement training.

Although the primary election is May 16 and the general election won’t be till the fall, Landis is preparing to hit the ground running: He has already enrolled in the monthlong training course that is required for individuals who are elected to the position of magisterial district judge but who are not members of the Pennsylvania bar. The course will take place in June, so he will have his certification well ahead of the swearing in. “I will be ready to serve our community on day one,” he said.

Magisterial district judges must also complete at least 32 hours of continuing education each year. Landis is used to such requirements, since he participates in mandatory annual training for the different law enforcement positions he holds. “Undertaking continued training is something I am fully prepared to do and that I believe the people of our community deserve from their district judge,” he stated.

There is more that the people deserve from their judges, he believes. He himself has pledged to dedicate himself to the position full-time, since too many judges, he said, treat the job as a retirement plan, a source of supplemental income, or a part-time job. “I believe that taxpayers deserve full-time service for the full-time paycheck they provide,” he said. As a result, he will no longer work as constable and Game Commission officer if elected as magisterial district judge.

The Pennsylvania Code contains a list of rules that govern the conduct of magisterial district judges, and Landis believes that the most important of these rules is the requirement for a judge to recuse himself in cases of personal or professional conflicts of interest. “Everyone who comes before the bench must feel confident they will receive a fair and impartial hearing,” he said, “and following this rule is how to make sure they do.”

Beyond upholding the rules of conduct, he has a clear vision for the role he would like to take in the service of the community. “I want to keep the district court ‘the people’s court’ — a place residents can come for fair, common-sense justice without need for costly attorneys,” he said. “I will always work to put the safety of our community first — standing strong against real criminals who come before the court.”

Due to Landis’ position in the community — both as an involved citizen and in his current service as a constable and a Game Commission officer — he is well known and in tune with the needs of the district. He has met Ephrata residents from all walks of life, including farmers, small business owners, and other elected officials, and he has had the chance to work with many of them in one way or another. His experience and the abilities he has shown over the years have earned him the endorsements of U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, state Sen. Ryan Aument, Lancaster County sheriff Chris Leppler, and the Ephrata Area Republican Committee.