Jeffrey Evans makes claims about fellow judge candidate Jeremiah Zook [Public Opinion, Chambersburg, Pa.]

Oct. 21--FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Waynesboro attorney Jeffrey Evans is reheating the race for Franklin/Fulton County Court of Common Pleas judge.

Evans claims opponent Franklin County Assistant District Attorney Jeremiah Zook has overstated his experience in civil and family law.

Both are Republicans, and both names are listed on the Nov. 5 general election ballots. Zook won the Republican primary. Evans won the Democratic primary. All three candidates cross-filed. Chambersburg attorney Jerrold Sulcove was the third candidate.

Republicans hold a 2-to-1 edge in voter registration in the judicial district.

"This isn't really a political position," Evans said. "This is really about experience. I have over 23 years of experience and have litigated over 760 civil and family law cases in Franklin County, compared to my opponent's 18. The voters need to hear the measurable difference in experience between the two candidates."

Evans said he will challenge Zook to a debate. His press conference is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday on the steps of the Franklin County Courthouse on Memorial Square, Chambersburg.

"We have to take a look at where the courthouse has said where this judge is going to be used," Evans said.

Evans said Republican leaders have encouraged him to stay out of the general election and he would have, except for a post card that Zook's campaign committee sent to Democrats before the primary. The card said: Zook has "the broad based experience we deserve proven courtroom experience and litigated thousands of proceedings."

"He's completely overstated his qualifications for the position," Evans said. "He doesn't have the broad-based experience he claims to have."

"My experience, which I have never misrepresented to anyone, is not debatable," Zook said.

Zook said Evans makes the claims without "thorough and honest research." As a staff attorney for the Wayne County Child Support Enforcement Agency in Wooster, Ohio, in 2001 and 2002 he litigated more than 1,000 child and alimony support contempt cases in the Wayne County Court of Common Pleas -- Domestic Relations Division. He also represented the agency in child support modification and paternity in court.

As an attorney in private practice in Waynesboro he handled cases in domestic relations, criminal defense, civil/commercial, and estate planning/litigation, Zook said. His cases were in Franklin and Fulton counties, sometimes in the courts of magisterial district judges. Many matters did not result in litigation in court. As an assistant public defender, he litigated hundreds of indigent criminal defense cases.

"Since becoming an assistant district attorney in 2005, I have litigated well over 1,000 criminal prosecutions." Zook said. "I have litigated over 30 jury trials in my career."

Evans said he searched the prothonotary records here by attorney since 1989.

The criminal side of the judicial bench in county court is fully staffed, Evans said. Even if it weren't, Zook could not hear criminal cases initially because of his potential conflict of interest as a county prosecutor.

"It's taken Judge (Angela) Krom four years," Evans said. "She held the same position he holds."

"There is no legal or ethical bar to a prosecutor who becomes a judge from immediately hearing criminal cases -- as long as they are offenses that occurred after he leaves the district attorney's office," Zook said. "Whether I, if elected, will be immediately assigned a criminal docket is entirely in the province of the president judge."

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Jim Hook can be reached at 262-4759 and [email protected].

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