Candidate: Daniel G. Ronca

Court: Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas

Party: Democrat and Republican

Montgomery Bar Association rating: Highly recommended

The following has been edited lightly for length and style.

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

Daniel Ronca: I received my J.D. degree from Temple Law School as a member of the Moot Court Honor Society. My legal experience, over 36 years, is as follows:

Assistant district attorney, Kings County, Brooklyn, New York; 1986-1990. Deputy attorney general, Pennsylvania, civil division; trial attorney; 1990-1993. Prudential Property & Casualty, trial attorney; 1993-2000. Rubin Glickman & Steinberg; associate; family law: 2000-2004. Cozen O'Connor; member; family law; 2004-2008. Sattin, Ronca & Cornelison; partner; family law; 2008 to present.

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

Ronca: During my career, I have been fortunate enough to be able to completely focus, one at a time, on each of three of the major areas of trial practice which a Common Pleas Court judge would expect to see: criminal, civil and family. I tried a large number of jury and non-jury trials in both the criminal and civil arenas and an untold number of conferences, hearings and bench trials in my many years of family law practice.

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

Ronca: I am very proud to have been rated by the Montgomery Bar Association as being "highly recommended" to serve as a judge, which is the highest recommendation available. In order to receive this rating, at least 80% of the Montgomery Bar autonomous judiciary committee must determine that I possess superior qualifications to serve with distinction as a judge including, "an exceptional level of integrity, good moral character, industry, legal ability and experience, courtroom experience, humility and judicial temperament." This rating is based, in large part, on input from those attorneys against whom I have appeared in court as well as from judges before whom I have appeared.

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

Ronca: The best way for an individual judge to efficiently move cases through the justice system is to be consistent in substantive and procedural rulings, so that there are very few surprises for litigants, and to give parties ample opportunity to settle cases during pretrial conferences with court assistance. However, if no settlement occurs before the trial date, the court must be prepared to hear the matter without delay. If this is done consistently, cases will have a better chance of settling before trial and, if not, they will be determined at trial by the court.

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

Ronca: Equality before the law is, and must always be, a hallmark of our legal system. There can simply be no justice if litigants are not treated equally and equitably. We must always be on guard for potential biases and prejudices, both personally and systemically and, when discovered, they must be routed out. Biases and prejudices have no place in the courtroom.

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

Ronca: danroncaforjudge.com