Attorney gets nod for Blair judge

Zimmerman works as assistant DA, nominated to fill Milliron’s seat

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- A longtime attorney who works for Blair County has been identified as the nominee to fill a vacant county judicial seat.

Ilissa Zimmerman of Duncansville, a part-time assistant district attorney and the county's master for divorce and custody cases, is on a list of judicial nominees that a state Senate committee approved Wednesday, as interviewed and vetted by Gov. Tom Wolf's office.

State Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair, a member of the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee, voted in favor of the list of judicial nominees for several counties, including Blair, that will now be forwarded to the state Senate's Judiciary Committee and must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.

Ward said the Judiciary Committee could take action as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.

Zimmerman, an Altoona native who has practiced law since 1984, declined comment Thursday about her nomination since it remains subject to further review.

"I really cannot say anything at this time because nothing is final until it's final," Zimmerman said.

Ward also cautioned that the nomination is not yet final but confirmed her support for Zimmerman to fill the county's judicial seat that has been vacant since December when Judge Daniel J. Milliron retired to senior judge status.

"Ilissa has a broad base of experience, from working in the DA's office, from her work in family court," Ward said. "I know she'll be a great asset to Blair County."

The governor's office on Thursday provided the Altoona Mirror with the names of those who applied for the vacant county judicial seat before its May 2 deadline.

Besides Zimmerman, the other applicants were: David Consiglio, David Gorman, John Heslop, Christian Kersetter, Fred Miller, Gerald Nelson, Ashley Owens and Joel Seelye.

Ward said she encouraged Zimmerman to apply after being advised that the governor's office was interested in Democratic nominees in light of Milliron being a Democrat.

The option of allowing the seat to remain vacant through fall came up, Ward added, but she didn't want that to happen.

"I had to get resourceful, and Ilissa came to mind," Ward said.

Zimmerman, who has been practicing law for about 38 years, mostly in Blair County, graduated from Dickinson School of Law. She's also been active in the Blair County Bar Association and the Greater Altoona Jewish Federation.

Blair County Democratic Commissioner Laura Burke said she was surprised to learn of Zimmerman's name on the list of judicial nominees because she didn't know Zimmerman applied.

Despite a 2021 Commonwealth Court ruling that forced Wolf's office, in November, to release the names and applications submitted for a vacant judicial Commonwealth Court post, the governor's office declined, until Thursday, to identify the applicants for Blair County's judicial seat, as requested by the Altoona Mirror through a Right-to-Know request in early May. The Mirror's request for their applications is still pending.

Burke, who met with some of the applicants interested in the post, said the governor's office didn't contact her for input, as some people suggested would happen.

"The process hasn't been transparent for the people who applied, for me, for you, or for the public," Burke said. "This is the one place where the Right-to-Know is not helping with transparency."

President Judge Elizabeth Doyle declined Thursday to comment on Zimmerman's pending appointment, but she welcomed the idea of having another full-time judge in the courthouse.

"I'm thrilled that the efforts of Senator Ward and Governor Wolf may soon culminate in a judicial appointment for Blair County," Doyle said. "It would greatly help the court system and the citizens of the county."

In addition to Doyle, Blair County's other judges are Timothy M. Sullivan, who is retiring in December, Wade A. Kagarise and Jackie Atherton Bernard.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.