Attorney Joseph J. Matika of the Summit Hill law firm of Velitsky and Matika, has announced his candidacy for Judge of the Common Pleas of Carbon County.

Attorney Matika, 48, made the announcement during a gathering of supporters and friends held at his residence at 1008 Mahoning St., Lehighton.He is married to the former Jeanine Lee Erdman, a native of Weatherly. He is the father of four children, Adam, 20; Alex, 18; Ally, 11, and Mia, 2.He is the son of Joseph and Patricia (Leonzi) Matika of Summit Hill.Attorney Matika is a graduate of Panther Valley High School, King's College in Wilkes-Barre, and the University of Bridgeport School of Law, Bridgeport, Conn.The attorney is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Carbon County Bar Association. He was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pa. in 1988 to practice in the Middle District Court of Pa.He has been an assistant district attorney since Jan. 14, 1994, and a court appointed arbitrator for 22 years.His current solicitorships include Summit Hill borough, Rush Township Zong Hearing Board, Walker Township Zoning Hearing Board, Schuylkill Township Zoning Hearing Board, Tamaqua Zoning Hearing Board, Carbon County Solid Waste Management, and Carbon County Farmland Preservation Agency.Previously, he has served as solicitor for the Carbon County Tax Claim Bureau, Carbon County Area Agency on Aging, Carbon County Children and Youth, and Summit Hill Zoning Hearing Board.As a practicing civil attorney, Attorney Matika has represented over 3,000 clients, including over 1,000 in 10 county courts throughout Pennsylvania along with both the Middle and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania (federal).As an assistant district attorney, he has prosecuted over 1,000 adult and juvenile offenders and as a condition of most sentences, requires defendants to perform community service work..He holds membership in the National Rifle Association, Sons of the American Legion, St. Thomas More Society, Summit Hill Lions Club, St. Gabriels Italian Club, and Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Lehighton.He is a former chairman of the board of directors of St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital, Coaldale.Also, he is former adjunct professor at Lehigh-Carbon Community College.