Allegheny County judge sentenced to rehabilitative program over DUI

An Allegheny County civil court judge will spend six months in a probation program for non-violent first-time offenders and pay her court costs for a DUI stop in July.

Common Pleas Judge Christine Ward, 58, of Shadyside was approved Friday for the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, or ARD, program. She must abstain from drugs and alcohol and “be of good behavior” for that time.

Because she hears civil cases, Ward has not been recused from any cases or reassigned since she was charged.

In 2011, criminal court Judge Randal Todd was arrested for DUI in Mt. Lebanon and entered the ARD program, but took a temporary reassignment from hearing criminal cases — particularly DUIs — to avoid any conflicts of interest

Ward's law license will not be suspended, but she must complete safe-driving classes and pay $2,248 in court costs and program fees. If she completes the program, Ward can ask the court to expunge her charges.

State police stopped Ward on July 3 after observing her driving erratically on Route 28. Troopers charged her with two counts of driving under the influence, along with several traffic violations that were dismissed with her entry into the ARD program.

Ward did not consent to a blood-alcohol test when she was stopped. A U.S. Supreme Court decision weeks before the traffic stop threw out a state law that said drivers could have their licenses suspended for a year for refusing a warrantless blood draw.

Ward's attorney, Patrick Thomassey, could not be reached for comment.

Ward was appointed as a judge by then-Gov. Ed Rendell in February 2003. She won election twice since then, with her current term ending in 2023. She sits in the court's Commerce and Complex Litigation Center in the Civil Division.

Common pleas court judges are paid $176,572 a year.

Matthew Santoni is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412 391 0927 or msantoni@tribweb.com.