Cheryl Lynn Allen
| Cheryl Lynn Allen | |
 | |
| Current Court Information: | |
| Pennsylvania Superior Court | |
| Title: | Judge |
| Service: | |
| Active: | 2008-2017 |
| Past position: | Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Criminal Division |
| Past term: | 2004-2008 |
| Personal History | |
| Home State: | Pennsylvania |
| Party: | Republican |
| Bachelors: | Penn State, 1969 |
| Law School: | University of Pittsburgh School of Law |
Contents |
Cheryl Lynn Allen is a judge on the Pennsylvania Superior Court. She was elected to the court in November 2007 (effective the following January) to a ten-year term ending in December of 2017.[1][2]
Education
A native of the Pittsburgh Area, Superior Judge Allen graduated from Penn State in 1969 with her Bachelor's Degree and also graduated from Pittsburgh Law with her law degree in 1975[2]
Professional career
Before entering the legal profession, Judge Allen was a Elementary school teacher, Pittsburgh Public Schools. After Allen graduated from Pitt Law, Allen began her legal career as an Staff Attorney for Neighborhood Legal Services from 1975 to 1976, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission from 1976 to 1977, and the Allegheny County Law Department from 1977 to 1999. Judge Allen was a private practice attorney from 1977 to 1990. In 1990, Judge Allen earned a merit selection appointment to the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County handling criminal cases. In 1991, Judge Allen was retained in a retention election to a full ten year term on the Common Pleas Court. Judge Allen also served on the Juvenile Section of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas from 1992 to 2004 and served on the criminal division from 2004 till her appointment to the Pennsylvania Superior Court in 2008. In 2002, Governor Mark Schweiker appointed Judge Allen to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's Juvenile Court Judges Commission and also has served as a Board member of the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation. Judge Allen has won the New Pittsburgh Courier’s Women of Excellence Awards in 2008 and the Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly Women of the Year, 2008[2]
State Supreme Court Bid
In 2009, Allen was a Republican Party candidate for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.[3]
On May 19, 2009, Allen lost the Republican primary, finishing in second to Joan Orie Melvin by twenty seven percentage points. [4]
Judge Allen's questionnaire from the Pennsylvania Bar Association can be accessed by CLICK HERE
Faith and Politics
Judge Allen who serves as a church elder has been outspoken about her religous faith on the campaign trial so far. During a April 12th campaign stop in Lancaster, PA, Allen spoke openly on her faith stating about the United States: "We were founded as a Christian nation, and founded on truth. If we don't stand on that, we fall into deception, and eventually destruction." [5]
Allen said that when a person stands on the truth, there is no reason to stutter, as so many politicians do: "What we need for our country is not divided by red and blue, but is based on the one and only truth, the Bible," she said. [5]
Judge Allen has been criticized on the campaign trial about openly speaking of her Christian faith and quotes the Bible, but Judge Allen stated: "I am a woman of God first, and no matter what people say, I am going to stand on the truth." "I can live without resources, but I cannot live without my source."[5]
Judge Allen also stated: "In today's society, so many people think truth is whatever you say it is. People say you can just decide your own truth. You cannot. There is one truth, and that is Jesus. ... This country cannot turn away from the word of God and expect (the United States) to prosper."
Allen stressed the importance that Americans need to get back to this country's founding principles.[5]
"These are difficult times and sometimes I think God takes us out of our complacency to spur us to action," Allen said, citing grass-roots efforts across the country such as tea parties protesting increased taxes, big government and infringement on personal rights.
On Being a Republican
It was noted in the May 2, 2009 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the "secularism" Allen sees in the Democratic party caused her to change parties. [6]
See also
External links
References
- ↑ Pennsylvania Courts website: Biography of Judge Allen
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Biography of Cheryl Lynn Allen from the Pennsylvania Superior Court website
- ↑ Pennsylvania 2009 Supreme Court candidates
- ↑ "PA Election Returns" Orie Melvin Wins, May 19, 2009
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "LancasterOnline" Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen talks of faith and politics, April 12, 2009
- ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" GOP Primary a Three Way Race, May 2, 2009
