During an impressive ceremony before a number of judges, family, ranking political officials and more than 300 well-wishers Monday, D. Michael Stine of Tamaqua became a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Schuylkill County.

After President Judge Joseph J. McCloskey asked Prothonotary Charles Heffner to read the governor’s commission appointing Stine to the vacancy on the bench, the new jurist stepped forward, surrounded by his wife, Jean (Miller) Stine, and three children, Matthew, 11, Michael, 7, and Theresa, 4, who helped him put on the black robe.

Judge McCloskey followed by administering the oath of office, which was followed by several minutes of loud applause from the packer Courtroom No. 1 at the courthouse in Pottsville.

Attorney Paris J. DeSantis, an uncle and law partner of Judge Stine, spoke with great pride of the mercurial rise of his law partner.