Judicial Retention Election Questions
JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the highest court in the Commonwealth and is one of the oldest appellate courts in the nation. The court consists of seven justices, each elected to 10-year terms. The Supreme Court maintains a discretionary docket, meaning the court may choose which cases it accepts, with the exception of mandatory death penalty appeals. It hears certain appeals from the Pennsylvania Superior Court and from the original jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Court. The court can also assume jurisdiction over any case in the Pennsylvania court system. This discretion allows the court to wield powerful influence on the formation and interpretation of Pennsylvania law. (There are THREE Justices seeking retention.)
This year, the retention of the Justices of the Supreme Court is extremely important as the current justices, in the past ten years, have upheld the Pennsylvania Constitution to protect the rights of Pennsylvanians to access healthcare, reproductive freedom, public education, fair elections, and clean air and water. H-CAN recommends a YES vote on the retention of all three Justices.
Read this article by Spotlight PA for more information on the retention of these justices.
Watch this video hosted by Indivisible Philadelphia on how this court’s decisions impact our lives.
Christine Donohue
Elected as a Democrat in 2015, and is seeking retention for a second term.
Protected mail-in voting. Ended gerrymandering in Pennsylvania by creating fair voting districts. Protected women’s reproductive freedom.
Rated “Recommended for Retention” by the PA Bar Association. Read their rating summary and her response to the PA Bar Association Questionnaire.
Read a brief bio from Spotlight PA.
Learn more about Christine Donohue at her official website.
H-CAN Recommends: Vote YES on retention
Kevin M. Dougherty
Elected as a Democrat in 2015, and is seeking retention for a second term.
Ended gerrymandering in Pennsylvania by creating fair voting districts. Protected women’s reproductive freedom. Created sensory-friendly courtrooms to accommodate people with autism.
Rated “Recommended for Retention” by the PA Bar Association. Read their rating summary and his response to the PA Bar Association Questionnaire.
Read a brief bio from Spotlight PA.
Learn more about Kevin M. Dougherty at his official website.
H-CAN Recommends: Vote YES on retention
David Wecht
Elected as a Democrat in 2015, and is seeking retention for a second term.
Prevented partisan gerrymandering. Upheld a law allowing Pittsburgh to require private employers to give workers paid sick leave. Protected women’s reproductive freedom.
Rated “Recommended for Retention” by the PA Bar Association. Read their rating summary and his response to the PA Bar Association Questionnaire.
Read a brief bio from Spotlight PA.
Learn more about David Wecht at his official website.
H-CAN Recommends: Vote YES on retention
JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
The Superior Court of Pennsylvania is one of two statewide intermediate appellate courts (the other being the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania). This court is responsible for hearing appeals in criminal and most civil cases from the Courts of Common Pleas as well as appeals on matters involving children and families. Cases are usually heard by panels of three judges sitting in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, or Pittsburgh, but may also be heard by an entire bench of nine judges. The Superior Court often travels to locations throughout Pennsylvania to hear cases. Judges of the Superior Court serve 10-year terms. (There is ONE Judge seeking retention.)
Alice Beck Dubow
Elected as a Democrat in 2015 and is seeking retention for a second term.
Rated “Recommended for Retention” by the PA Bar Association. Read their rating summary and her response to the PA Bar Association Questionnaire.
Read a brief bio from The Philadelphia Citizen.
Learn more about Alice Beck Dubow at her official website.
H-CAN Recommends: Vote YES on retention
JUDGE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA COMMONWEALTH COURT
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court is one of two statewide intermediate appellate courts (the other being the Superior Court of Pennsylvania). The court is made up of nine judges who serve 10-year terms. The court generally decides cases in three-judge panels and sits in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh. The Commonwealth Court usually takes cases relating to banking, insurance, utility regulation, taxation, land use, elections, labor practices, workers compensation, Department of Transportation decisions, and Liquor Control Board rulings about liquor licenses. (There is ONE Judge seeking retention.)
Michael H. Wojcik
Elected as a Democrat in 2015 and is seeking retention for a second term.
Rated “Recommended for Retention” by the PA Bar Association. Read their rating summary and his response to the PA Bar Association Questionnaire.
Learn more about Michael Wojcik at his official website.
H-CAN Recommends: Vote YES on retention
JUDGE OF THE DELAWARE COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
The Courts of Common Pleas are the general trial courts of Pennsylvania. Judges who preside over the Courts of Common Pleas are responsible for appeals from the Magisterial District Courts, as well as civil and criminal matters that cannot be heard in the Magisterial District Courts, Orphans’ Court matters, and matters involving juveniles and families. In Delaware County, each judge focuses on one topical area (Criminal, Civil, Juvenile, Family) for a designated period of time; the President Judge normally hears Orphans’ Court matters.
The Courts of Common Pleas are organized into 60 judicial districts. Most districts follow the geographic boundaries of counties (as does Delaware County), but seven of the districts are composed of two counties. Each county's Courts of Common Pleas functions a little differently than every other county, based on their own rules of filing and Administration. Each district has from one to 93 judges and has a President Judge and a court administrator. (There are THREE Judges seeking retention.)
Margaret J. Amoroso
Elected as a Republican in 2015 and is seeking a second term.
Read a full bio from the Delaware County Bar Association.
H-CAN Recommends: Vote YES on retention
Dominic F. Pileggi
Elected as a Republican in 2015 and is seeking a second term.
Read a full bio from the Delaware County Bar Association.
H-CAN Recommends: Vote YES on retention
Anthony D. Scanlon
Appointed by Governor Tom Corbett in 2014, elected as a Republican in 2015, and is seeking a second term.
Read a full bio from the Delaware County Bar Association.
H-CAN Recommends: Vote YES on retention