SHARON Lawyer will seek county judgeship

An incumbent's decision not to seek re-election and the creation of a fourth judicial post mean voters must elect two.
SHARON, Pa. -- Atty. John C. Reed said today that he will be a candidate for one of two common pleas judicial seats up for election in Mercer County next year.
County voters select a successor to Judge Michael Wherry, who has announced he won't seek re-election for another 10-year term next year.
The Pennsylvania Legislature recently created a fourth judicial post for Mercer County, so voters will have to fill that post as well.
Legal background
Reed, 60, has had a diverse law practice for more than 30 years and maintains his office at 80 W. Connelly Blvd.
He has served as legal adviser to the county sheriff, the Sharpsville and West Middlesex school districts, many zoning hearing boards and a variety of nonprofit organizations.
He has been appointed by the common pleas court as the legal adviser to the Mercer County Domestic Relations Division and to serve on the Orphans Court Rules Committee and the county elections board.
Reed is a graduate of Hickory High School and Thiel College and served three years as a counterintelligence investigator with the Army. He earned his law degree from Duquesne University School of Law in 1971 and was elected president of Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity.
He has tried cases in U.S. Bankruptcy Court and has argued before the state appellate courts. He has served as an author and lecturer for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and a lecturer for the Real Estate Tax Assessors Association.
He recently completed a term as president of the Mercer County Bar Association.
Reed has been active in the Boy Scouts for more than 20 years, serving on the French Creek Council Executive Committee for four years and as a troop committee chairman for 10 years. He is a member of the executive board of Primary Health Network.
"I have dedicated my career to serving the residents of Mercer County," Reed said. "I believe that my experience, credentials and leadership qualify me to continue serving the county as judge of the common pleas court."
Reed and his wife, Virginia, live in South Pymatuning Township. They have three sons and a daughter.