Former District Attorney Matt Weintraub Sworn In As Common Pleas Judge

Tom Sofield | LevittownNow.com•

Matt Weintraub, Bucks County’s now-former district attorney, was sworn in on Tuesday afternoon as the newest Court of Common Pleas judge.

Weintraub, a career prosecutor and Bucks County native, took the oath of office from Court of Common Pleas Judge Theodore Fritsch. His wife and two daughters were standing at his side.

The large ceremonial courtroom in the Justice Center was packed with attorneys, court staff, district judges, family and friends, and members of law enforcement from around the county for the swearing in.

Weintraub took the oath, put on his black judge’s robe, and then took a seat on the bench.

Kathleen Weintraub, the new judge’s wife, commended him on his upstanding character and honesty.

Weintraub’s wife noted his job as district attorney kept him away from many family events, but he always tried to attend programs and competitions for his daughters.

Fritsch, who served as an assistant district attorney before being elected judge, said he interviewed Weintraub in the early 1990s when he applied for an internship. He suggested hiring him, which then-District Attorney Alan Rubenstein did.

"Certainly, we were struck by how personable he was was,” Fritsch said.

In an interview in his final days as district attorney, Weintraub told this news organization he loved the job, but he felt 2023 was the right time to run for judge.

"These opportunities don’t come around often. When one arises, you have to make that critical decision, even if it’s not perfect timing,” Weintraub said.

Weintraub, who grew up in Upper Southampton Township, graduated from William Tennent High School in Warminster Township. He earned a law degree from Temple University in Philadelphia. His initial experience in the legal field began with the internship at the district attorney’s office in 1992, leading to a full-time position the following year. He later pursued jobs as a prosecutor in Lehigh County and Cape May, New Jersey, before returning to Bucks County in 2011. Prior to his appointment as district attorney in 2016, Weintraub had the responsibility of overseeing the office’s criminal prosecutions in Bucks County.

Weintraub will not be presiding on criminal cases for some time, and he will start out in civil and family court.

First Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Schorn will be sworn on Friday to serve as district attorney until the end of Weintraub’s term in 2025. Starting on New Year’s Day, she became the acting district attorney.