Bring Judicial Commission Recommendations to the Polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8

Andrew A. Chirls, Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, today announced the results of the Association's investigation into the qualifications of candidates for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and Philadelphia Municipal Court in the November 8th general election. The investigation was conducted by the Association’s Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention. In addition, the Judicial Commission also released the results of a poll of all Philadelphia lawyers conducted for the Bar Association earlier this year by Parente Consulting. The poll invited respondents to rate specific aspects of the judicial performance of each of the retention judges. Under the bylaws of the Association, the poll is not binding upon the Commission's deliberations, although it must be published with the Commission's findings. The complete poll results are available from the Bar Association.

The 29-member Judicial Commission includes lawyers and non-lawyers as well as the President Judges of Common Pleas Court and Municipal Court, the Chief Public Defender, the City Solicitor, the Chancellor, Chancellor-Elect and Vice Chancellor of the Bar Association and representatives of diverse interests within the community. Nearly half of the Commission members are African-American, Latino or Asian-American.

Each of the currently rated candidates was voted upon by the Commission. Those found “Recommended”satisfied a cumulative review of criteria including qualifications such as legal ability and training, trial experience, character, integrity, judicial temperament and mental and physical ability and community involvement. The complete criteria are available from the Bar Association.

The following judges, listed alphabetically, were found “Recommended” for retention on the Court of Common Pleas:

Hon. Willis W. Berry, Jr. Hon. Gwendolyn N. Bright Hon. Matthew D. Carrafiello Hon. Amanda Cooperman Hon. Idee C. Fox Hon. Renee Cardwell Hughes

Hon. Marlene F. Lachman Hon. Patricia A. McInerney Hon. Lillian Harris Ransom Hon. Esther R. Sylvester Hon. John Milton Younge

The following judges, listed alphabetically, were found “Recommended” for retention to Municipal Court:

Hon. Linda F. Anderson Hon. James M. DeLeon Hon. Thomas F. Gehret

Hon. William Austin Meehan, Jr. Hon. Harvey W. Robbins Hon. Alan K. Silberstein

The following judge was found “Not Recommended” for retention to Municipal Court:

Hon. Jimmie Moore

The Commission reiterated its ratings of the following candidates who have been found “Recommended” for election to the Court of Common Pleas:

Hon. Glenn B. Bronson Ann M. Butchart Hon. Charles J. Cunningham Joyce Webb Eubanks

Marilyn Heffley Hon. Susan I. Schulman Leon W. Tucker

The Commission reiterated its ratings of the following candidates who have been found "Not Recommended” for election to the Court of Common Pleas:

Hon. Walter J. Olszewski Hon. Frank Palumbo Lisette Shirdan-Harris

The Commission reiterated its ratings of the following candidates who have been found “Recommended” for election to the Municipal Court:

Hon. Nazario Jimenez Hon. Bradley K. Moss

David C. Shuter Karen Simmons

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