The Superior Court of Pennsylvania is one of two Pennsylvania intermediate appellate courts (the other being the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania). It is based in Harrisburg.
| Superior Court of Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Jurisdiction | Pennsylvania, United States except those cases which involve decisions of governmental agencies; public sector legal questions; actions to which the Commonwealth is a party other than criminal cases; or actions to which a not-for-profit, private corporation is a party, all of which are appealed instead to the Commonwealth Court. |
| Location | Harrisburg (headquarters) Philadelphia Pittsburgh |
| Composition method | Statewide partisan election with possible retention at term expiration. Vacancies are filled via appointment by the Governor. |
| Authorized by | Penn. Const. Art. V § 3 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 541-44 |
| Appeals to | Supreme Court of Pennsylvania |
| Appeals from | Court of Common Pleas |
| Judge term length | 10 years |
| Number of positions | 15 |
| Website | Pennsylvania Courts |
| President Judge | |
| Currently | Anne Lazarus |
| Since | January 7, 2024[1] |
Jurisdiction
editThe Superior Court hears appeals in criminal and most civil cases from the Courts of Common Pleas and on matters involving children and families.[2] Most appeals are decided on the submission of briefs only. However, when the parties request oral argument, those sessions are usually heard by panels of three judges sitting in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, or Pittsburgh, but the court also hears some appeals "en banc," i.e., with nine judges.[2] Sometimes, special argument panels sit in other counties around the Commonwealth. Although different panels of three judges may sit to hear appeals, there is only one Superior Court (that is, Pennsylvania is not divided into appellate territories).
Judges
editSuperior Court judges are elected in statewide elections. The term of a Superior Court Judge is 10 years. After serving 10 years, judges may hold their seats if they win a retention vote. Voters have the right to retain or reject (vote out of office) Superior Court judges in Pennsylvania. Superior Court judges must retire from active service at the age of 75. They may serve as Senior Judges though, as approved by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
| Judge[3] | Born | Joined[4] | Term ends | Mandatory retirement[a] | Party affiliation | Law school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anne E. Lazarus (President Judge) | November 12, 1952 | January 4, 2010[b] | 2029 | 2027 | Democratic | Temple |
| Mary Jane Bowes | July 18, 1954 | January 7, 2002 | 2031 | 2029 | Republican | Pittsburgh |
| Jack A. Panella | May 4, 1955 | January 5, 2004 | 2033 | 2030 | Democratic | Columbus |
| Judith Ference Olson | October 19, 1957 | January 4, 2010 | 2029 | 2032 | Republican | Duquesne |
| Victor P. Stabile | September 14, 1957 | January 6, 2014 | 2033 | 2032 | Republican | Dickinson |
| Alice Beck Dubow | March 25, 1959 | January 4, 2016 | 2025 | 2034 | Democratic | Pennsylvania |
| Deborah A. Kunselman | September 24, 1967 | January 1, 2018 | 2027 | 2042 | Democratic | Notre Dame |
| Carolyn H. Nichols | September 4, 1955 | January 1, 2018 | 2027 | 2030 | Democratic | Temple |
| Mary P. Murray | July 6, 1970 | January 1, 2018 | 2027 | 2045 | Republican | Duquesne |
| Maria McLaughlin | May 27, 1966 | January 1, 2018 | 2027 | 2041 | Democratic | Widener |
| Megan McCarthy King | December 8, 1969 | January 6, 2020 | 2029 | 2044 | Republican | Pittsburgh |
| Megan Sullivan | October 19, 1971 | January 3, 2022 | 2031 | 2046 | Republican | Temple |
| Jill Beck | October 16, 1979 | January 1, 2024 | 2033 | 2054 | Democratic | Duquesne |
| Timika Lane | October 5, 1972 | January 1, 2024 | 2033 | 2047 | Democratic | Rutgers |
| Vacant |
Vacancy and pending nomination
edit| Seat | Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | Dan McCaffery | Elevation | January 1, 2024 | – | – |
Senior judges
edit| Judge[3] | Born | Joined[4] | Party affiliation | Law school |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correale F. Stevens[a], President Judge Emeritus | October 6, 1946 | 2016 | Republican | Dickinson |
| James Gardner Colins[b] | June 9, 1946 | January 2, 2019 | Democratic | Villanova |
| John T. Bender | November 6, 1948 | January 1, 2024[c] | Republican | Duquesne |
- ^ Judge Stevens was a former Associate Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court (2013–2016).
- ^ Judge Collins was a former judge of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court (1984–2008; 2012–2019).
- ^ Served as Judge of the Superior Court from January 5, 2002–December 31, 2023. Became Senior Judge of the Superior Court on January 1, 2024.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Judge Anne Lazarus Elected President Judge of Pennsylvania Superior Court" (PDF). January 2, 2024.
- ^ a b "Learn". Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ a b "Superior Court Judges". Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.
- ^ a b "Pennsylvania Superior Court Ceremonial Sessions - Volume 3" (PDF). Historical Society of Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
- ^ "Constitution of Pennsylvania - Article V §16".