Franklin County prosecutor announces bid to become judge

CHAMBERSBURG - A Franklin County chief deputy district attorney promised to treat everyone fairly and with dignity when he announced his intention to run for judge in the county's Court of Common Pleas. 

Ian Brink made his candidacy official during a luncheon Tuesday afternoon at the Franklin Fire Company. He is running for a vacancy in the 39th district, which serves Franklin and Fulton counties, that will open once Franklin County President Judge Carol Van Horn retires at the end of next year. 

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The event drew several dozen residents and local officials, including Franklin County District Attorney Matt Fogal, Chambersburg Mayor Walter Bietsch and Franklin County Coroner Jeff Conner, among others. Doug Mastriano, a 2018 Congressional candidate and county resident, was also in attendance and has fully endorsed the campaign, according to a news release from Brink. 

Brink, of Shippensburg, began by thanking attendees for coming, and introduced his wife, Billie Jo, his daughter, Abby, and several other family members. 

Brink discussed his qualifications for the position, mentioning how he has appeared "hundreds of times" in Van Horn's courtroom over the past 13 years. 

"She has set the bar as to what to expect from a judge in Franklin and Fulton counties," he said. "For the good fine folks (in these areas), there is going to be a void left by Judge Van Horn's retirement that must be filled by a new judge that can hit the ground running to keep up with the expectations that she has set for judges in Franklin and Fulton counties." 

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According to the release, Brink has served as a trial attorney for the past 18 years, with 13 of those spent in this community. In that time, he worked his way up to the top of the public defenders' office, before moving over to the district attorney's office in the past year. Brink has also litigated more than 3,000 criminal cases in the area, and assisted with the creation and continued development of the county's Good Wolf Treatment Court, for defendants in crimes linked to substance abuse. 

"The courtroom is like my second home," he said. 

Outside of work, Brink lives with his family in Shippensburg. He serves on the board and is an active member of the Shippensburg Presbyterian Church and coaches several youth sports. He also told the audience he is pro-life and a member of the National Rifle Association. 

During his speech, Brink talked about how a new judge must "first and foremost always seek justice," be fair to all parties and attorneys and possess the required legal knowledge and experience to effectively and efficiently run a courtroom. 

"That new judge is me," he continued. 

Brink also mentioned how he has the "unique perspective" of knowing what each side goes through throughout the judicial process. He spoke about how he has worked with police officers during criminal investigations, listened to victims in central court tell their stories and counseled defendants at the jail charged with different crimes. 

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"I feel called to expand my services to the folks of Franklin and Fulton counties as your next judge of Court of Common Pleas," he added. "I would not want any litigant or attorney to leave my courtroom feeling as though justice had not been served." 

Bietsch referred to Brink as a "turn-key judge," and confirmed he is a candidate that will hit the ground running. He cited Brink's diverse legal background working as a public defender and prosecutor, which are "the proper background to be a seated jurist to sit and enforce the laws that we all live under." 

"I think he will be a very fair and impartial judge," Bietsch continued. 

The mayor also noted how Van Horn was a great jurist, who believed that Lady Justice is blind. 

"She leaves a big void when she goes that I believe (Brink) is the proper person to fill," he added. 

For more information on Brink and his campaign, visit brinkforjudge.com or Ian Brink for Judge on Facebook, or email brinkforjudge@gmail.com. 

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