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The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania is one of Pennsylvania's two intermediate appellate courts. The Commonwealth Court's headquarters is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with jurisdiction over administrative and civil public law. The Superior Court of Pennsylvania is the other intermediate appellate court in the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System, having jurisdiction over criminal and private civil cases.
| Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1968 |
| Jurisdiction | Pennsylvania 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. |
| Location | Harrisburg (headquarters) Philadelphia Pittsburgh |
| Composition method | Statewide partisan election with possible retention at term expiration. Vacancies are filled via appointment by the Governor. |
| Authorised by | Penn. Const. Art. V § 3 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 561-64 |
| Appeals to | Supreme Court of Pennsylvania |
| Appeals from | Court of Common Pleas Superior Court |
| Judge term length | 10 years |
| Number of positions | 9 |
| Website | Commonwealth Court |
| President Judge | |
| Currently | Renée Cohn Jubelirer |
| Since | January 7, 2022[1][2] |
The jurisdiction of the nine-judge Commonwealth Court is limited to appeals from final orders of certain state agencies and certain designated cases from the Courts of Common Pleas involving public sector legal questions, government regulation, and certain matters involving Not-for-profit organizations. The Commonwealth Court also functions as a trial court in some civil actions by or against the Commonwealth government and cases regarding statewide elections. (42 Pa.C.S. §§ 761–764).
Article V, section 4 of the 1968 Pennsylvania Constitution created the Commonwealth Court. Acts enacted in 1970 set up the court. Judges are elected to 10-year terms, and must retire at the age of 75.
The Commonwealth Court publishes its precedential opinions in the Atlantic Reporter 3d series. From 1970 to 1995, the court maintained an official reporter, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Reports, volumes 1–168 (1970–1995). The Court's precedential and non-precedential ("unreported") opinions are posted online.
Appeals from Commonwealth Court decisions go to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
Judges
edit| Judge[3] | Born | Joined[1] | Term ends | Mandatory retirement[a] | Party affiliation | Law school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renée Cohn Jubelirer, President Judge | May 25, 1957 | January 7, 2002[b] | 2031 | 2032 | Republican | Northwestern |
| Patricia A. McCullough | November 15, 1956 | January 4, 2010 | 2029 | 2031 | Republican | Pittsburgh |
| Anne E. Covey | November 4, 1959 | January 2, 2012 | 2031 | 2034 | Republican | Widener |
| Michael H. Wojcik | September 24, 1964 | January 4, 2016 | 2025 | 2039 | Democratic | Pittsburgh |
| Christine Fizzano Cannon | October 8, 1969 | January 1, 2018 | 2027 | 2044 | Republican | Widener |
| Ellen Ceisler | September 11, 1957 | January 1, 2018 | 2027 | 2032 | Democratic | Temple |
| Lori A. Dumas | December 2, 1967 | January 3, 2022 | 2031 | 2042 | Democratic | North Carolina Central |
| Stacy Wallace | July 18, 1979 | January 3, 2022 | 2031 | 2054 | Republican | Duquesne |
| Matthew S. Wolf | 1968 (age 55–56) | January 1, 2024 | 2033 | 2043 | Democratic | Loyola New Orleans |
Senior judges
edit| Judge[3] | Born | Joined | Assumed senior status | Party affiliation | Law school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter, President Judge Emerita | February 19, 1947 | January 9, 1996 | January 31, 2016 | Republican | Pittsburgh |
| Mary Hannah Leavitt, President Judge Emerita | March 17, 1947 | January 7, 2002 | January 3, 2022 | Republican | Dickinson |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Historical List of Commonwealth Court Judges". Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Elects Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer as President Judge". Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. January 7, 2022.
- ^ a b "Commonwealth Court Judges". Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.
- ^ "Constitution of Pennsylvania - Article V §16".