Next president judge awaits word on other job

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County Common Pleas Court Judge Dominick Motto is being sworn in this week as the county's president judge, but he's still waiting to hear about another job.
Motto is still being considered for a position on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
"It's still a possibility. There is still a vacancy and my name is still on the short list," Motto said last week.
Motto submitted his name for the vacancy more than two years ago.
But if the appointment doesn't come, Motto said, he is happy with his current job.
Motto was appointed associate judge in Lawrence County in 1994 to replace Judge Francis Ciaizza, who became a federal magistrate. He was then elected to a 10-year term in office in 1995 and will be up for judicial retention next year.
Before being appointed a judge, Motto, of New Castle, practiced law for 20 years.
Motto said he has known since childhood that he wanted to practice law and enjoyed being an attorney and a judge.
He noted that the benefit of being a judge is that he is involved with the law, but does not have to worry about the business aspects of running a legal practice.
Motto, 54, is married to the former Gerianne Fazioli and has three sons, Dominick, 16; Joseph, 15; and Michael, 11.