Assistant public defender Joel Toluba is the only candidate to publicly announce a bid the seat of District Court 19-1-05, which covers three wards in York’s west side.
The seat was vacated by the retirement of Magisterial District Judge Barbara Nixon, according to a news release.
Joel Toluba, candidate for District Court 19-1-05.
Toluba has practiced law for over 10 years and is serving in his fifth year as an assistant public defender with the York County Office of the Public Defender.
Toluba currently handles the majority of preliminary hearings for the county public defender, which involves traveling to the various district courts throughout York County and handling anywhere from 20 to 40 cases per week, according to a news release.
“I’ve had the pleasure of serving the citizens of York County as a public defender since 2008, and it would be my honor and privilege to continue to serve them…,” Toluba said in the news release. “I would strive to work with York City Police and community leaders to institute preventive measures to decrease crime and drug abuse and to ensure that at-risk offenders are not permitted to roam our streets unsupervised.”
Toluba plans to cross-file on both party ballots for the spring primary election. As a licensed attorney with the Pennsylvania bar, he would be able to be sworn in immediately if elected, the release states.