Judicial selection in Pennsylvania

From Judgepedia

Pennsylvania state court judges, for the most part, are elected to office in partisan elections.^[1]

After serving initial terms to which they were elected, justices of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and judges of the Pennsylvania Superior Court, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court and judges of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas (trial courts) who wish to seek re-election to do in nonpartisan retention elections.^[2]

Supreme Court

See also: Pennsylvania Supreme Court elections

Pennsylvania's seven state supreme court justices are elected in partisan statewide elections to ten-year terms on the court.

Interim vacancies

Interim vacancies on the court are filled by gubernatorial appointment with the consent of a supermajority vote of 2/3rds of the Pennsylvania Senate. Any interim justices so appointed must stand for election at the next municipal election that is more than ten months after the vacancy occurs. However, it is a tradition that judges who are appointed as interim justices to the Supreme Court do not go on to run for permanent seats; in other words, the governor appoints judges where it is the expectation of both the governor and the judge that the judge will only fill the interim vacancy, not a permanent seat.^{[3] [4]}

Subsequent terms

Once a justice has first been elected to the court, he or she must run in a retention election for subsequent ten-year terms on the court.

Commonwealth Court

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court

Judges of the Commonwealth Court are chosen in partisan elections to ten-year terms. After serving an initial ten-year term, judges are then subject to a retention election. If an interim vacancy occurs on the court, it is filled via gubernatorial appointment and 2/3rds of the Pennsylvania Senate must agree with that appointment. Judges of the court who are appointed in this interim fashion are required to run for a full ten-year term at the next municipal election that is scheduled at least ten months after the vacancy occurred, or the original term of the judge who left the court expires. However, it is a tradition in Pennsylvania that judges who are appointed as interim judges to the Commonwealth Court do not go on to run for permanent seats; in other words, the governor appoints judges where it is the expectation of both the governor and the judge that the judge will only fill the interim vacancy, not a permanent seat.^[5]

Retention elections

In Pennsylvania, retention elections are always held in November. Voters are asked to vote "yes" or "no" on whether to reelect each judge seeking retention. The names of those judges who are seeking retention are listed in a separate part of the ballot. No political affiliation is listed.^[2]

References

v • d • e Judicial selection in state courts Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • District of Columbia • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming 2010 elections • 2009 results • 2009 elections • 2008 elections • 2008 results Commission selection (Missouri Plan) • Gubernatorial appointment • Legislative appointment • Partisan elections • Non-partisan elections • Retention election • Tennessee Plan