Court Of Common Pleas

Elected to the Court of Common Pleas in November of 2007, Judge Harry E. Knafelc came to the trial court bench after serving for 13 years as the Magisterial District Judge for District Court 36-1-01 in Ambridge.

Judge Knafelc is a graduate of Ambridge High School as well as Villanova University, where he received both his undergraduate and law degrees.  He began his legal career in 1972 as a law clerk for the Hon. Quint Salmon and started his private practice
in 1974. 

As a Magisterial District Judge, Judge Knafelc was elected to his initial six-year term in November 1993 and re-elected in 1999 and 2005. Prior to becoming a Magisterial District Judge, Mr. Knafelc served as the Chief Assistant Public Defender of Beaver County for 20 years and was the Solicitor for the Ambridge Area School District for 16 years.

As an active member of his community, Judge Knafelc has previously served as President of the Ambridge Rotary Club, Director of the Ambridge Area Chamber of Commerce and as President of the Ambridge Area High School Hockey Association.