Kristine C. Howard Runs for Chester County Court of Common Pleas

Candidate: Kristine C. Howard

Court: Chester County Court of Common Pleas

Party: Democrat

The following has been edited lightly for length and style. 

The Legal: Tell us about your background, where you went to law school, what firms you have practiced at, and areas of law you focus on.

Kristine C. Howard: I am a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers Law School. I started my legal career at a legal aid clinic in New Mexico, serving an underserved and impoverished community. When I returned to the Philadelphia area, I worked as an administrator with Philadelphia Lawyers for the Arts and represented children in foster care as a volunteer attorney with Support Center for Child Advocates. After my youngest child entered school, I reentered the workforce with the Pennsylvania Auditor General’s Office assigned to audit the offices of magisterial district judges. I left that position to join the Chester County department of children and family services to work as a child abuse investigator.

My experiences, in a system ill-equipped to address the underlying societal issues, motivated me to run for state representative in 2018. As a state legislator, I have focused my work on issues pertaining to children, issues of economic justice, criminal justice reform, family law reform and reproductive rights. I have been on the children and youth committee for four years and am currently on the judiciary committee. I was appointed by Gov. [Tom] Wolf to the Juvenile Justice Task Force.

The Legal: What is one major thing about your career experience that most qualifies you for this position, and why?

Howard: There are several elements of my career I believe uniquely qualify me to be a judge. My experiences as a child abuse investigator and throughout my career have prepared me in important ways. I have worked with many families experiencing poverty, mental health issues, drug abuse, immigration problems and more. Many of my clients had multiple interactions with the court system. These experiences with people suffering from negative societal forces, driven into the legal system, provides me with a perspective different from many lawyers and judges.

The Legal: What is the main reason Pennsylvania voters should pick you?

Howard: Unlike many candidates for judicial positions, voters have a clear picture of who I am. I have a voting record as a legislator and have published opinions on issues and policy. Additionally, I have been endorsed, in my campaigns for state representative, by leading advocacy groups and organizations that have clear points of view further informing voters about the perspective I will bring to the bench. I have been involved in my community for decades, first as a mother of seven children, with all the activities and connections that brought and then as a state representative, attending countless events and meeting members of the community for the past five years.

The Legal: What will be your approach to moving matters efficiently through the case management system? 

Howard: I believe judges already have the tools and powers they need to move matters through the case management system efficiently and it is imperative they use them. As someone who has been in family court as a litigant, I learned firsthand how important it is to prevent unnecessary delays. Like many of us in the performance of our work-related tasks and responsibilities, it is not unusual that some of what we do becomes routine, seemingly repetitive and not necessarily requiring our full focus and attention. It is foreseeable that lawyers and judges experience the same kinds of feelings, but it is not at all acceptable. What may seem routine to officials of the courts is likely perceived much differently by the litigants they serve. For many, their day in court may be the most important and financially challenging experience in their lives. We have a sacred obligation to assure everyone interacting with our court system knows that their time and resources are equally important and respected by lawyers and judges.

The Legal: What would you say to voters regarding your plans to ensure the equal administration of justice for all people?

Howard: If voters want to know my commitment to the equal administration of justice, all they have to do is look at my record. For most of us when we think about who is most likely to experience inequities in the justice system, we think of minorities, lower-income people and people without the means and connections to retain legal representation and assistance. As a state representative, I have been an advocate for social and economic justice and particularly mindful of policy and reforms intended to level the playing field for everyone. Also, my work on the governor’s Juvenile Justice Task Force made me more aware of issues and problems facing young people in the court system. May I add, my personal experiences in family court introduced me to the challenges many women face in divorce and custody disputes, especially if they have been out of the work force and are not the primary earners for their family.

The Legal: Where can voters go for more information about you?

Howard: www.KristineHoward.com; https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/179557/kristine-howard