Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judges Christopher Feliciani and Meagan Bilik-DeFazio have done more than sentence criminals to prison.
Since 2015, the judges have presided over Westmoreland County’s fledgling drug court program that has seen dozens of participants charged with crimes find a path toward recovery.
“Being a judge is more than just what you do in the community. You’re given the ability to do something more,” Feliciani said. “It is a calling, a profound calling to me. I’m passionate about trying to help people.”
Bilik-DeFazio agreed.
“We’ve come a long way in the criminal justice system, and in my mind there’s still more work to be done. I look forward to the opportunity to implement more improvements in the system in an effort to keep my community safe,” Bilik-DeFazio said.
Feliciani and Bilik-DeFazio are asking Westmoreland County voters in November to keep them in office for new 10-year terms through the judicial retention process, where “yes” votes signify support for the judges to remain on the bench.
Feliciani, 64, of Hempfield was first elected in 2003. He previously worked as a general practice attorney and an assistant public defender. He started his judicial career in family court and in that role founded the county’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program that links adult volunteers with juveniles embroiled in the family court system.
The program remains a key component of the county’s family courts.
Feliciani served 10 years as a family court judge and since 2014 has presided over criminal court cases. In early 2015, he and Bilik-DeFazio helped to form the county’s drug court, and both continue to oversee the program that provides oversight and guidance to participants whose addictions led them into the criminal court system.
“Being a judge is about what you do in the community and to make decisions that affect people’s lives. There’s so much more that judges are capable of doing to impact the community,” Feliciani said.
The county’s 10 other judges elected Feliciani in late 2022 as president judge, a job in which he serves as the administrative leader of the local courts.
Bilik-DeFazio, 48, of North Huntingdon has been a lawyer since 2000 and previously worked as an assistant public defender and an attorney with a general law practice. She was elected in 2013 and, after serving about nine months as a family court judge, transferred to preside over cases in the criminal system.
“I am one of those oddballs who knew I wanted to be a judge since I was 8. My dad was an attorney, and I used to sit in the back of his trials and talk with him about defense strategy,” Bilik-DeFazio said.
The retention of both judges is recommended by the Westmoreland Bar Association.
Feliciani’s retention garnered support from about 99% of lawyers who participated in the survey. Bilik-DeFazio’s retention was backed by more than 96% of the bar.
