Kevin Dougherty

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kevin M. Dougherty
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Assumed office
January 4, 2016 (2016-01-04)[1]
Judge of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County
In office
2001–2015
Personal details
Born (1962-05-19) May 19, 1962 (age 59)[2]
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[2]
Alma materAntioch School of Law
Temple University

Kevin M. Dougherty (born May 19, 1962) is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Before his election in 2015,[3] Dougherty had served on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia since 2001,[4] serving as an administrative judge of the trial division.[5]

He had been appointed to the bench by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge in 2001, and was elected to the first of two 10-year terms later that year,[4][6] receiving the most vote among 14 candidates. After his election, he requested to be assigned to the family division, where he felt he could have the most significant societal impact,[7] and has prided himself on helping families and children during his judicial career.[8] Dougherty became Supervising Judge of the Juvenile Division of Philadelphia Family Court in 2003.[7][8] There he implemented reforms like easing access to the court and what he called a "changing of the culture" among a judiciary of mostly older judges. He received 78 percent of the vote when he ran for retention in 2011, and received support from both Democrats and Republicans.[8]

Dougherty graduated from the Antioch School of Law in Washington, D.C. in 1988, and is a graduate of Temple University.[6] He ran as a Democrat for Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2015,[9] and was part of a Democratic sweep of all three court vacancies, along with David Wecht, and Christine Donohue. They defeated Republican candidates Judith Olsen, Michael George, and Anne Covey, in a campaign that saw more than $15 million in donations from special interests.[3] Dougherty received a "recommended" rating from the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and received strong support from organized labor groups,[4] in part due to Dougherty's relationship with his brother, indicted Philadelphia labor leader John J. "Johnny Doc" Dougherty.[10] Dougherty was the campaign's top fundraiser,[4] raising more than $3.5 million.[10]

Dougherty grew up in South Philadelphia in what he described as a "very blue-collar, working-class neighborhood", and was the first from his family to graduate college, working three part-time jobs as he attended Temple.[6]

References[]

  1. ^ "Historical List of Supreme Court Justices". www.pacourts.us. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  2. ^ a b American Bar Association Questionnaire
  3. ^ a b Kraus, Scott; Sheehan, Dan; Assad, Matt (November 4, 2015). "Incumbents fare well in Lehigh Valley elections". The Morning Call. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d "Snapshot look at candidates for Pa. appellate courts". Delaware County Daily Times. Associated Press. November 3, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  5. ^ Williams, Damon C. (October 31, 2015). "Black clergy group makes pick in state court race". Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  6. ^ a b c "Get to know the candidates for state Supreme Court". LNP Media Group. October 31, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  7. ^ a b "About Kevin". Kevin Dougherty for Supreme Court. 2015. Archived from the original on October 25, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c Brandolph, Adam (May 1, 2015). "Philadelphia's Dougherty brothers spotlight differences as one vies for Supreme Court". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  9. ^ "David Wecht to seek state Supreme Court vacancy". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. December 4, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  10. ^ a b Palmer, Chris (November 3, 2015). "Dougherty, Dems, sweep historic Supreme Court race". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved November 4, 2015.

External links[]

Legal offices
Preceded by
Unknown
 Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
2016–present 		Incumbent
Retrieved from ""