Bar Association Recommendations for Statewide Judge Elections

[JPZenger]

http://www.pegweb.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=4634&orgId=pfeg

Unfortunately, most voters know little about the candidates for statewide judges, who will be elected next Tuesday. Here's a little information. The State Bar Association has a committee that studies the experience of each candidate and interviews attorneys who have worked with them to develop the following recommendations.

PA Supreme Court -

Justice Thomas Saylor, a member of the Supreme Court since 1997, is up for retention this year. (He voted against the illegal pay raise by the way when the case reached the Supreme Ct.).

Candidates for the two vacancies are as follows:

Seamus McCaffrey (D), 56, a judge on the Pennsylvania Superior Court since 2003, that began his career as a Philadelphia police officer who later served as an administrative judge on Municipal Court and created "Eagles Court," at Veterans Stadium. PA BAR: Recommended

Debra Todd (D), 49, a judge on the Pennsylvania Superior Court since 1999, who prior worked in private practice and for U.S. Steel. PA BAR: Highly Recommended

Maureen Lally-Green (R), 57, a judge on the Pennsylvania Superior Court since 1998 and former professor at Duquesne Law School. PA BAR: Highly Recommended (She is in the news because some shadowy right wing organization from Virginia is running TV ads for her).

Michael L. Krancer (R), 49, chief judge and chairman of the state's Environmental Hearing Board and former commercial litigator. PA BAR: Recommended

Superior Court - It deals mostly with criminal and tort cases. Candidates to fill the three open seats are:

Cheryl Allen (R), Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County - PA BAR: Highly Recommended

Bruce Bratton (R), Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Dauphin County - PA BAR: Recommended

Christine Donohue (D), an attorney with the Pittsburgh-based law firm Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney - PA BAR: Highly Recommended

Ron Folino (D), Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County - PA BAR: Highly Recommended.

Jacqueline Shogan (R), Attorney, Thorp, Reed & Armstrong - PA BAR: Recommended

John Milton Younge (D), Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County - PA BAR: Recommended

Three Superior Court Judges face retention elections: Justice Correale Stevens; Justice John Musmanno; and Justice Joan Orie Melvin.

Commonwealth Court - It deals with government actions, rulemakings, suits against the Legislature on Constitutional grounds and similar matters.

Three Commonwealth Court Judges face retention elections: Justice Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter; Justice Doris Smith-Ribner; and Justice Bernard McGinley.

[FREEWILL56]

1. I know enough about repukes that they will not be getting my vote.

[JPZenger]

2. The candidate who says he will not accept any pay raises

Republican Supreme Ct. candidate Krancer says on TV commercials that he will never accept a pay raise.

That is mighty white of him - considering that he is the nephew of the late billionaire Walter Annenberg.

One friend in the Inquirer tried to give Krancer a compliment by saying that "you would think he was just a regular guy if you did not see his house."