Prospective law firms identified for DA election timing litigation

A Luzerne County Council committee has identified the attorneys who will be interviewed for possible handling of a legal challenge over the timing of the county district attorney’s race.

According to the upcoming agenda, council’s Special Election Decision Committee will publicly interview the following attorneys from two firms at its 5 p.m. virtual meeting Thursday:

• J. Chadwick Schnee, from the Annville, Pennsylvania-based Tucker Hull law office

• Peter J. Adonizio Jr. and Thomas I. Vanaskie from Stevens & Lee, which has an office in Scranton.

The district attorney’s race is slated to appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot because a county Election Board majority decided that’s what must occur under new state legislation governing DA vacancies. The county Democratic and Republican party organizations would each be able to choose a contender.

However, all six Republican county council members voted last month to create the committee to seek outside legal counsel to obtain a court ruling on the matter, with some council members citing conflicting legal interpretations as a reason.

During Thursday’s meeting, following the interviews, the committee is set to discuss a possible appointment recommendation that it would present to the full 11-member council, the agenda said. A council majority must approve such an appointment.

The committee agenda packet does not include attorney submissions or estimated costs.

Councilwoman Kendra Radle, a Republican, is chairing the committee, which also includes Council members Tim McGinley, a Democrat, and LeeAnn McDermott, a Republican.

In a side note, county Councilman Robert Schnee said Tuesday he is not related to Attorney J. Chadwick Schnee.

According to information posted on the law firms’ websites:

J. Chadwick Schnee has more than a decade of experience in a wide variety of matters, including municipal issues. He has argued several cases before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and is an authority on Right-to-Know Law issues.

He also has worked as Berks County’s first assistant county solicitor and wrote or edited approximately 10,000 final orders related to the Right-to-Know-Law as assistant chief counsel for Pennsylvania’s Office of Open Records.

At Stevens & Lee, Adonizio is focused on commercial litigation and represents businesses, municipal entities and individuals in litigation in state and federal court. He has handled appeals before all Pennsylvania appellate courts, along with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First and Third Circuits.

Prior to joining Stevens & Lee, Adonizio served as a law clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Before law school, Adonizio worked for three years as an associate account manager for the Trion Group. He also has a background in mortuary science working at his family’s business, the Adonizio Funeral Home LLC in Pittston.

Vanaskie has more than four decades of legal experience and was formerly a judge with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for eight years and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for 16 years, including seven years as chief judge.

The vacancy issue came up in Luzerne County because Stefanie Salavantis resigned March 25 to run for county judge. Republican Sam Sanguedolce, previously first assistant DA, was automatically appointed to fill the DA post under the new state legislation.

Instructions to attend Thursday’s committee meeting are posted under council’s public meetings online link at luzernecounty.org.