LEWISBURG -- Court of Common Pleas Judge Louise O. Knight announced Tuesday she will not seek another 10-year term.

Several court watchers anticipated Judge Knight would not run for retention in 2009 in the 17th Judicial District of Union and Snyder counties, but didn't expect a public confirmation until later this year.

"I expected it, but I'm a little surprised by the timing," said District Judge Jeffrey Mensch, of Mifflinburg, who will seek the judgeship in next year's election. "I'm expecting there will be a number of candidates."

Possible contenders for the $157,441-a-year job are Snyder County District Attorney Michael Sholley, Union County District Attorney D. Peter Johnson, Snyder County Chief Public Defender John Reed and Lewisburg attorney Andrew D. Lyons, all of whom on Tuesday said they are considering a run for the job.

Lewisburg attorney Brian Kerstetter has also been named as a possible candidate, but he was not available for comment Tuesday.

Judge Knight said when her term ends in late 2009 she will assume the status of a senior judge to help alleviate the caseload in the two counties.

"By electing senior status I will be able to offer my time and experience to relieve the two other judges from the heavy workload, but at the same time the position would afford me time to pursue other interests," she said.

The state Supreme Court must approve the senior judge status and Union-County President Judge Harold F. Woelfel Jr. said he expects Judge Knight will receive it.

"I've enjoyed working with her," he said, describing his colleague who works in the Union County Courthouse in Lewisburg as a "conscientious" jurist.

Judge Woelfel's second 10-year term expires in 2012.

Appointed to the bench in July 1998 by Gov. Tom Ridge to fill the vacancy left by Judge Wayne Bromfield's 1997 resignation, Judge Knight is the first woman judge to serve in the 17th Judicial District.

She was unopposed in the 1999 general election.

Factors in her decision to not seek retention are the mandatory retirement age of 70 for county judges, since she would be unable to serve a full, second 10-year term, as well as the rising caseload.

For the past few months, visiting senior judges have assisted Judges Knight and Woelfel by filling in at the two courthouses in Lewisburg and Middleburg.

Judge Woelfel said it would be beneficial to have a senior judge "in our backyard" to handle the extra work that has more than tripled in the past dozen years to include about 950 criminal cases a year.