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Jim Insco (Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Pennsylvania, candidate 2025)
Jim Insco (Republican Party) is running or ran for election to Butler County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania.[1]
Elections
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jim Insco completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Insco's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I grew up on a row crop and cattle farm. I earned my undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University in 2000 and my law degree from the Duke University School of Law in 2003. I started my legal career in the Pittsburgh office of K&L Gates in September 2003. In January 2018, I moved from K&L Gates to the Pittsburgh office of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, where I work today. For over 21 years, my practice has focused on civil litigation, including complex commercial litigation, mass tort, and product liability actions. I have also conducted internal investigations and performed due diligence to support mergers, and developed compliance programs for entities incorporating unmanned aircraft systems in their businesses. As Butler County’s population grows and it continues to attract business headquarters to the County, complex commercial cases will become more common. While I am willing to preside over any type of case directed by our President Judge, my experience litigating such cases may be beneficial to the Courts in the County.
My wife, Amy, and I moved to Butler County in 2013, and both of our children, Elizabeth and James, attend school at Mars. I am involved in Cub Scouts, youth hockey, and aviation groups in Butler County. This community involvement has deepened my connection to the area and my commitment to serving its residents.
- The foundation of a great judge is built on four pillars: legal scholarship, obedience, diligence, and judicial temperament. If these qualities resonate with you, I hope you will see I embody many of them. I graduated from a top law school and have practiced for over two decades.
- Experience matters and helps judges make sound legal decisions based upon a learned understanding of legal principals. I have the most experience of anyone in this race.
- I am pursuing this position for the right reason--a desire to serve the community.
Trial courts are not policy courts and they are not prefect. My philosophy is that a trial judge should study the law and briefings and do his or her best to make sound legal rulings. I believe in the separation of powers and federalism and believe trial judges should be wary of encroaching on the enumerated powers of other branches of government.
I have no aspirations to serve on a higher court of appeals.
In my 21 years of practice, I have developed an understanding of the qualities that define a great judge. The foundation of a great judge is built on four pillars: legal scholarship, obedience, diligence, and judicial temperament.
Legal scholarship—A great judge is a lifelong student of the law, committed to continuously learning and expanding their understanding of legal principles. It is through this dedication to scholarship that a judge gathers the necessary knowledge to render informed and sound decisions.
All the best scholarship is for naught, however, if a judge lacks the discipline and conviction to rule in accordance with the law’s dictates. A judge must resist the influence of his or her own ideologies, biases, and prejudices on their decisions.
Scholarship and obedience promote rulings are fair and impartial.
The third pillar, diligence, highlights the rigorous work required to uphold judicial responsibilities. A great judge helps keep his or her docket moving efficiently. Diligence means arriving prepared for arguments, having read the parties briefings, making timely decisions, and providing clear justification for rulings.
Finally, a great judge demonstrates a special judicial temperament. They respect the parties, litigants, lawyers, jurors, judicial process and the rule of law. A great judge leads by example in the courtroom and fosters an environment of dignity and respect for our legal system.
The primary job of a judge in is to make decisions. By the nature of our system, many of those decisions will negatively impact some parties. A judge takes an oath to support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth and to discharge the duties of the office with fidelity. I will work diligently to render correct decisions in a timely manner. I commit to studying the laws and issues before me to, so that I can make those decisions in compliance with the laws and Constitutions to the best of my ability. It is important to remember that the Court of Common Pleas is not a policy body. I do not believe the proper role of a trial judge is to actively advance policy agendas.
Common Pleas Judges are elected to serve 10-year terms. At the conclusion of that term, Judges must again face a voter referendum if they desire to stay on the bench. In what is referred to a retention election, voters are asked whether a Judge whose term is expiring should be retained for an additional term of 10 years. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is one of 11 states that uses retention elections to confirm a new judicial term for sitting Judges.
I have enjoyed a successful career to date. When I went to law school, I envisioned entering public service in some capacity. I once applied for a job as an Assistant US Attorney, but that position was not filled before a change in administrations. I do not want to end my career regretting missing out on public service. My family has a history of public service; my dad is a retired law enforcement officer and my mother a former school teacher. I think my talents and experience can be used to serve as a judge.
I grew up on a cattle and row crop farm. I spent many hours raising dairy calves, operating equipment and working in the fields. While we did not raise tobacco, I worked for neighbors who did riding setters, booking, and all the other laborious steps. My first job off the farm was working as a life guard at the one public pool in the county in which I grew up.
On January 28, 1986, I was home from school because it was a snow day. As a young aviation enthusiasts (I am not a private pilot), I was glued to the TV watching the launch of Space Shuttle Challenger carrying a school teacher into orbit. I was in second or third grade at the time.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
External links
[1] ↑ Submitted to Ballotpedia's candidate survey in 2025.
