Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania

Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
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.
Authorized by	Penn. Const. Art. V § 3; 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 541-44
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	P. Kevin Brobson
Since	2021

Philadelphia

Harrisburg

Pittsburgh

Court locations

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.

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 and government regulation. 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 The Court's precedential and non-precedential ("unreported") opinions are posted online.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[]

as of November 24, 2021:

Name	Born	Elected	Party when first elected	Retained	Year of next retention election	Reaches age 75	Location	Prior positions and education
Mary Hannah Leavitt (President Judge Emerita)	(1947-03-17) March 17, 1947 (age 74) in Cleveland, Ohio	2001	Republican	2011	Not running^[1]	March 17, 2022	Harrisburg	Private Practice (1987–2001); Assistant Counsel, Chief of Litigation, and Chief Counsel, Pennsylvania Department of Insurance (1978–1987); J.D., Dickinson School of Law (1978); M.A., University of Pennsylvania (1972); B.A., Connecticut College (1969).
Renée Cohn Jubelirer	(1957-05-25) May 25, 1957 (age 64) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	2001	Republican	2011, 2021	2031	May 25, 2032	State College	In-House Counsel, ATX Telecommunications Services (1997–2001); Assistant Solicitor, Lehigh County (1997–1999); Deputy Solicitor, Lehigh County (1996–1997); Private Practice (1984–1996); Assistant Professor, DePaul University College of Law (1985–1987); Teaching Fellow, Stanford Law School (1983–1984); J.D., Northwestern University School of Law (1983); B.A., Pennsylvania State University (1978).
P. Kevin Brobson (President Judge)	(1970-11-26) November 26, 1970 (age 51) in Mountoursville, Pennsylvania	2009	Republican	2019	2029	November 26, 2045	Harrisburg	Private Practice (1996–2009); Law Clerk, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (1995–1996); J.D., Widener University School of Law, Harrisburg Campus (1995); B.A., Lycoming College (1992).
Patricia A. McCullough	(1956-11-15) November 15, 1956 (age 65) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	2009	Republican	2019	2029	November 15, 2031	Pittsburgh	Private Practice (2008–2009, 1991–2004); Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh (2006–2007); Judge, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas (2005–2006); Assistant General Counsel, University of Pittsburgh Office of General Counsel (1983–1991); Law Clerk, Washington County Court of Common Pleas (1981–1983); J.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Law (1981); B.A., University of Pittsburgh (1978).
Anne E. Covey	(1959-11-04) November 4, 1959 (age 62) in Wilmington, Delaware	2011	Republican	2021	2031	November 4, 2034	New Hope	Private Practice (1987–2011); Member, Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (2002–2011); Law Clerk, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania (1985–1987); Assistant Counsel, Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (1984–1985); J.D., Widener University School of Law, Wilmington Campus (1984); B.A., University of Delaware (1981).
Michael Wojcik	(1964-09-24) September 24, 1964 (age 57) in Windber, Pennsylvania	2015	Democratic	First term	2025	September 24, 2039	Pittsburgh	Private Practice (2012–2016); Solicitor, Allegheny County (2004–2012); Private Practice (1989–2004); J.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Law (1989); B.A., Juniata College (1986).
Ellen H. Ceisler	(1957-09-11) September 11, 1957 (age 64) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	2017	Democratic	First term	2027	September 11, 2032	Philadelphia	Judge, Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas (2007–2017); Director, Special Investigations & Fraud Unit, Philadelphia City Controller's Office (2006); consultant, Philadelphia School District (2005–2006); Deputy Director/Director, Philadelphia Police Department Integrity & Accountability Office (1997–2005); special advisor to the Sheriff, Office of the Sheriff of Philadelphia (1992–1994); private practice (1990–1992); Investigative Producer, WCAU (1988–1990); Assistant District Attorney, Philadelphia County District Attorney's Office (1986–1988); J.D., Temple University School of Law (1986); B.A., Temple University (1979); A.A., Montgomery County Community College (1977).
Christine Fizzano Cannon	(1969-10-08) October 8, 1969 (age 52) in Media, Pennsylvania	2017	Republican	First term	2027	October 8, 2044	Media	Judge, Delaware County Court of Common Pleas (2012–2017); private practice (1994–2011); J.D., Widener University School of Law (1994); B.A., University of Arizona (1991).
Andrew Crompton	(1968-05-07) May 7, 1968 (age 53)	2019 (appointed to fill vacancy)	Republican	First term	N/A	May 7, 2043	Mechanicsburg	Various Counsel and Chief of Staff positions to Pennsylvania Senate Republican leadership (1994–2006, 2008–2019); J.D., Widener University School of Law (1993); B.A., Dickinson College (1990).

Senior judges[]

Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter

Judges-elect[]

Stacy Marie Wallace (replacing Mary Hannah Levitt, beginning 2022)^[2]
Lori Dumas (replacing Andrew Crompton, beginning 2022)^[3]
Vacancy (Kevin Brobson was elected to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, beginning 2022)^[2]

References[]

^ "Declarations of Candidacy Filed by Incumbent Judges for Retention in 2021" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Briggs, Ryan (November 3, 2021). "Brobson wins Supreme Court race as GOP poised to sweep Pa. judicial elections". WHYY. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
^ Meyer, Katie (November 23, 2021). "With incumbent's concession, Dems have flipped a Pa. Commonwealth Court seat". WHYY. Retrieved November 24, 2021.

External links[]

[:0-1] "Declarations of Candidacy Filed by Incumbent Judges for Retention in 2021" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved January 21, 2021.

[:1-2] Briggs, Ryan (November 3, 2021). "Brobson wins Supreme Court race as GOP poised to sweep Pa. judicial elections". WHYY. Retrieved November 24, 2021.

[3] Meyer, Katie (November 23, 2021). "With incumbent's concession, Dems have flipped a Pa. Commonwealth Court seat". WHYY. Retrieved November 24, 2021.

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