Peter Sala takes oath as Erie County's newest judge, highlighting induction ceremony
Erie lawyer Peter Sala has reached another stage of the career that he pledged to pursue when he was in his teens.
He was sworn in as a judge on the Erie County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday, the result of his election to a 10-year term on the nine-member bench on Nov. 7.
Sala, 55, said he knew at 15 years old that he wanted to be a lawyer. He said he made the vow as a way to help his mother, Ann Downing Sala. She was left to raise him and his brother and sister after their father, Peter D. Sala, died of cancer at 47 in 1975, when Peter Sala was 6.
"I wanted to help and protect my mother," Sala told a capacity crowd of 250 in Courtroom H, the largest courtroom at the Erie County Courthouse, during his swearing-in ceremony. "She was my first client."
Sala graduated from Gannon University and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and opened a private practice in his native Erie in 1995. He worked as a solo practitioner for nearly 30 years, representing clients in a wide array of cases in a variety of courts.
He unsuccessfully ran for Common Pleas Court judge in 2019. In November, Sala, a Democrat, defeated Republican nominee Eric Mikovch by a margin of 57.7% to 42.3%.
Sala filled the seat that had been vacant of an elected judge since Judge Stephanie Domitrovich retired in May 2022. The county used retired judges to fill in until Sala took the bench.
Throughout his career, Sala said on Tuesday, he has remained committed to serving others — the same commitment he made to his mother, who died at 86 in 2019.
"I will always be for the people because I was from the people, and I grew up in a single-parent household," Sala said.
He pledged to continue to serve others as a judge — a job that marks the culmination of his law career.
For inspiration, he said, he often returns to a lawyer's prayer to St. Thomas More, who was a lawyer. The prayer, which Sala read during his remarks, includes the line: "Read with me in my library and stand always beside me so that today I shall not, to win a point, lose my soul."
Sala said that, as a judge, he will give all who enter his courtroom a chance.
"Not everyone is going to agree with my rulings," Sala said. "But I can promise that everyone will have their day in court, and they will be heard."
Other judicial officials also sworn in
Sala was the first of many elected officials to take the oath of office on Tuesday. The induction ceremony was for officials who were elected or reelected on Nov. 7.
Sworn in were new district justices Alison Scarpitti, whose jurisdiction is the city of Erie's 3rd Ward and part of its 4th Ward; and Jeff Gadley, whose jurisdiction includes Springfield Township and much of the rest of western Erie County.
Also sworn in were district judges reelected in November:
Denise Stuck-Lewis, whose district covers Edinboro and McKean boroughs and Fairview, Franklin, McKean and Washington townships.
Timothy Beveridge, who presides over Erie's 6th Ward.
Laurie Mikielski, whose district that covers much of Millcreek Township.
Lisa Ferrick, whose district covers Wesleyville borough and Harborcreek and Lawrence Park townships.
Susan Strohmeyer, whose district covers Wattsburg borough, Greene and Venango townships, and a portion of Millcreek Township.
Brian McGowan, whose district covers Mill Village and Waterford boroughs and LeBoeuf, Summit and Waterford townships.
Two reelected district judges were unable to attend Tuesday's ceremony. They are Denise Buell, whose district covers the city of Corry and other areas in southern Erie County; and Scott Hammer, whose district covers North East borough and township and Greenfield Township. Buell and Hammer were sworn in at a separate ceremonies.
DA, council members, others take oath
Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz, who ran unopposed in November, was sworn in for her her first four-year-term. She was named district attorney in late December 2021, following the retirement of District Attorney Jack Daneri.
The Erie County Council members who were sworn in were Terry Scutella, of council's 1st District, which covers the bulk of Millcreek Township; Rock Copeland of the 3rd District, which covers parts of Millcreek Township and the city of Erie; and Chris Drexel of the 5th District, which covers Greene, Harborcreek, North East and Summit townships.
Scutella was elected in November after getting appointed to the seat in 2021, and Copeland and Drexel are newly elected. Councilwoman Ellen Schauerman, of the 7th District, which covers southwestern Erie County, was reelected but was not in attendance at Tuesday's ceremony. She was sworn in at a later ceremony.
Closing out the ceremony were the swearing-ins for Erie County Controller Kyle Foust and Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook, who were both reelected. Foust was first elected in 2019.
Cook, who was unopposed in November, was first elected in 1999. He provided some levity on Tuesday after Erie County President Judge Joseph M. Walsh III, who presided over the ceremonies, praised Cook for having a sense of humor despite holding what can be a grim job.
Cook quipped to the audience that he was unfamiliar being in such a situation because "too many people were breathing."
"Next time I see you, I hope you can see me back," Cook also said, to laughter.
Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNpalattella.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Peter Sala sworn in as Erie County judge, highlighting ceremony
