County Judge Horan nominated to be federal judge
Butler County Judge Marilyn Horan could soon be a federal judge.
President Barack Obama on Thursday nominated Horan to take a vacancy on the federal bench.
Horan, 60, of Butler is the first female judge in county history. She could not be reached this morning for comment.
Horan was appointed to her current post in 1996 by Gov. Tom Ridge to fill a slot created by retirement. She was re-elected to a 10-year term in 1998.
If her appointment is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Horan would serve on the bench in Pittsburgh.
County President Judge Thomas Doerr said Horan’s nomination is a compliment of her excellence on the bench. He said it is also a compliment of the strength of the county’s bench.
“I’m very happy for Judge Horan,” Doerr said.
Horan has handled primarily civil litigation over the past several years, which Doerr said is good training for the federal bench.
“There is a very high civil caseload in federal court,” Doerr said.
Horan has been active in many community programs, including the Community Health Clinic of Butler, the YMCA, the American Cancer Society, the Community Health Assessment Policy Council, the Butler County Head Start Policy Council and the Center for Community Resources.
In 2014, Horan was selected by the Pennsylvania Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession as the Anne X. Alpern Award winner. The award is presented annually to a woman who demonstrates excellence in the legal profession and makes a significant impact on women in law.
She graduated from Butler High School in 1972 and then went to Penn State University to study criminology. She eventually got her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1979.
She worked at the Butler law firm of Murrin, Taylor, Flach & Horan for more than 17 years before becoming a judge.
Horan is married to Joseph Caparosa, and they have four adult children
