OntheHill
DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Lori Joint
2015 Election Update
The November 3 election for Supreme Court candidates is going to make history. It is a race being watched by the entire country. It is also a very important election. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, just like the U.S. Supreme Court, makes decisions on extremely important issues that affect all Pennsylvania manufacturers and other business. We encourage you to visit the candidates’ websites, get to know what they stand for, and who has endorsed them. You have the chance to put the right people on the bench who are pro-business and understand the needs of the business and manufacturing community.
At 331 years old, the state Supreme Court is the oldest appellate court in the nation. There haven’t been three openings at once on the court since 1704, when the governor made appointments to what was then known as the Provincial Court. Three seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court are up for grabs in 2015. The November 3 election will determine which of the remaining six candidates will be awarded three, 10-year terms on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Democrats would need to win two of the seats to flip the partisan balance in their favor. The court’s partisan makeup is currently 3-2 in favor of Republicans. Pennsylvania voters have not participated in a competitive Supreme Court race since 2009. Court elections in 2011 and 2013 were uncontested retention elections for incumbent justices.
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES
Anne Covey www.coveyforjustice.com
Michael George judgemikegeorge.com
• Judge Anne Covey was elected to the Commonwealth Court in 2011.
• President Judge of the Adams County Court of Common Pleas.
• Prior to her election, Judge Covey was the first woman to serve on the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB). She served for over a decade, appointed by Governor Mark Schweiker and re-appointed by Governor Ed Rendell.
• Trusted prosecutor as his county’s first full-time District Attorney.
• Judge Covey’s experience in public service, private practice and as a small business owner provides her the experience Pennsylvanians need on the Supreme Court.
• Saved taxpayers money by streamlining the court budget system. • Extensive courtroom experience in family, municipal, civil and criminal law.
Judith Olson electjudgejudy.com • Elected to the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in November, 2009. • Received the highest number of votes of all candidates running in the election. • Decided thousands of appeals in cases dealing with criminal law, civil law, family law, statutory law and constitutional law. • Named by Law & Politics Magazine as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer® in Business Litigation – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Named by Law & Politics Magazine as one of the Top 50 Female Lawyers in Pennsylvania – 2004.
• Judge Covey is best known as the trial judge in the case of Corman v. NCAA. She authored the opinion that ruled the Endowment Act constitutional and kept $60 million of Penn State funds in Pennsylvania.
• Endorsed by FOP, ACTION of PA, PA State Troopers Association, PA ProLife Federation, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and other organizations.
• Endorsed by Pennsylvanians for Effective Government — PEGPAC, Bucks County FOP Lodge #53, Local No. 22 Philadelphia Firefighters and Paramedics Union, Firearms Owners Against Crime and other organizations.
DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES
David Wecht www.wecht2015.com • Served on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania since January 2012. • Served as a trial judge on the Court of Common Pleas for Pennsylvania’s Fifth Judicial District from February 2003 to January 2012. • Twice elected as Allegheny County’s Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphan’s Court. • Endorsed by several labor unions and organizations.
Kevin M. Dougherty www.doughertyforpa.com
Christine Donohue donohueforjustice.com
• Dougherty has served as a judge on the Court of Common Pleas since 2001.
• Elected in November 2007. Currently a judge on the Pennsylvania Superior Court.
• He currently serves as the Administrative Judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Trial Division, where he oversees all aspects of Pennsylvania’s largest civil and criminal trial court system.
• Judge Donohue has litigated and presided over landmark cases protecting the rights of injured persons, holding corporations accountable for fraudulent behavior, eliminating bias against LGBT parents in custody matters and more.
• Judge Dougherty previously served as Administrative Judge of Philadelphia Family Court.
• Endorsed by several labor unions and organizations.
• Endorsed by several labor unions and organizations.
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