Berks County Assistant District Attorney Justin Bodor has announced his candidacy for Berks County Court of Common Pleas Judge. He will cross-file to appear on both the Republican and Democratic ballots in the May primary election.
Justin brings to the table two decades of impactful experience in the legal profession, which includes more than twelve years of service as an assistant district attorney and working as a public defender and in private practice. That diverse background has uniquely prepared and qualify him to carry out the duties of a Berks County Court of Common Pleas Judge.
“As an assistant district attorney, I have worked in the courtroom on a daily basis for more than a decade handling an expansive and diverse caseload,” said Bodor. “From drug treatment court to criminal cases, the cases I handle have been complex and consequential with direct impacts on the lives of the people of Berks County.”
“For instance, for the last ten years, I have represented the District Attorney’s Office in the Berks County Drug Treatment Court Program,” noted Bodor. “That responsibility includes identifying people involved in the criminal justice system due to addiction and mental health issues. Working with Judges, defense attorneys, probation officers, and treatment professionals, we endeavor to hold offenders accountable for crimes while also providing them with the structure and treatment to break the cycle of addiction.”
“I understand the important role judges play in our legal system because I am in the courtroom almost everyday.”
“Working hand-in-hand with District Attorney John T. Adams and my fellow prosecutors and law enforcement officers, we diligently strive to represent the best interests of the citizens of Reading and Berks County,” noted Bodor. “The District Attorney demands that his prosecutors and investigative team work hard. I will bring that same work ethic to the bench, if I have the honor and privilege of being elected judge.”
“A judge needs to be fair, firm, and impartial,” continued Bodor. “My training and courtroom experience, I believe, provide me with the temperament and mindset to be that kind of judge.”
While Justin understands that qualifications and relevant experience are important considerations for judicial candidates, he strongly believes that the reason an attorney wants to become judge needs to be evaluated as well; in his view, a judicial candidate should be seeking a seat on the court for the right reasons.
“My motivation for running for judge is simple: I want to serve the people of Berks County,” explained Bodor. “My maternal grandparents emigrated with my mother in the 1950s from Austria to the United States driven by the desire to live in a country founded on ideals of freedom, justice, and equality. They instilled in me the value of honesty, integrity, and the importance of serving others—giving back to your community.”
“I have always believed that public service is one of the best ways to do just that. That is exactly what I have tried to do through my work as an assistant district attorney and a public defender,” stated Bodor.
Beyond his professional work, Justin consistently and frequently serves in leadership roles in organizations and efforts that improve the legal profession, give deserving individuals a chance at rebuilding their lives, and other efforts that improve communities. Justin is committed to service to the community and to the legal system. He is extremely active with the Berks County Bar Association, serving as president in 2021.
Additionally, he previously served as a board member of the Reading Public Library and on the boards of community organizations such as Berks Connections Pretrial Services and Treatment Access and Services Center (TASC).
He is a member of Berks SOS (Stop Overdoses, Save Lives), where he works with other professionals and community leaders to fight the opioid epidemic here in Berks County. Finally, he is a long-time instructor at the Reading Municipal Police Academy, teaching Berks County’s next generation of law enforcement officers criminal law and the rules of criminal procedure.
“It is easy to say that you think community service is important. I believe it is important to put your words into action. That is what I have attempted to do through my efforts with the Berks County Bar Association and other volunteer service endeavors,” said Bodor. “I want to help make Berks County a better place for my family, friends, neighbors, and fellow community members to live, work, and thrive.”
A lifelong Berks County resident, Justin was raised in Colebrookdale Township, He attended the Boyertown School District and graduated from Boyertown Area Senior High.
Justin was a Eugene Shirk Scholar at Albright College, graduating with honors. He then attended and graduated from the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, PA, during which time he completed an internship with a Justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He currently resides in the Oley Valley with his wife, Jessica, and two children.
