ANDREW SHUBIN

State College

I write in strong support of Penn State Law professor and former public defender Gopal Balachandran’s historic candidacy for Centre County Court of Common Pleas judge.

Gopal offers our county an incredible opportunity to have a judge with important and unique experience. Gopal would be the first person of color elected to the bench in Centre County Court of Common Pleas and the first Indian-American to be elected to any judicial position in Pennsylvania’s history. His perspective and life experiences, which include serving the indigent and powerless, and diverse clientele, would be a great asset in our court system.

While the historic nature of this campaign is noteworthy, what really stands out about Gopal is his intellect, work-ethic, humility, and empathy. I have seen first-hand his ability to assess complex, voluminous case files, and formulate legal arguments in cases of significant consequence.

I’ve been very impressed by his dedication and skill. His clinic is known throughout the state for their willingness to help in difficult cases.

Expertise like Gopal’s is tough to find and one that the court here in Centre County desperately needs. Having practiced in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas and in Federal court for more than 30 years, I recognize the importance of electing a judge with significant criminal law and a history of protecting our constitutional rights. The experience that Gopal has will allow him to remain independent and not become a rubber stamp for powerful interests. Judicial campaigns are mostly sleepy affairs, but I am truly excited about Gopal’s campaign and look forward to casting my vote for him.