Feb 09 2011
Open Seats on the Intermediate Appellate Courts Create Election Speculation
This year, there is one seat open on both the Superior and Commonwealth courts. Those who wish to run in the May primary must wait until February 17 to circulate nominating petitions, and they have until March 8 to gather the 1,000 voter signatures that they need.
Leaders of the state Democratic Party met in Hershey on Saturday to choose which potential candidates to endorse. For the Superior Court seat, the Democratic State Committee chose to support Allegheny County Judge David N. Wecht over Allegheny County Judge Robert J. Colville. Both judges received a “highly recommended” rating from the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Commission. Colville announced that he will withdraw from the race as a result. The party endorsed Kathryn Boockvar, a Doylestown lawyer, for the Commonwealth Court seat. The PBA’s JEC gave Boockvar a “recommended” rating, noting that despite her limited appellate experience she: “possesses the legal ability, experience, integrity and temperament to perform satisfactorily as a judge of the Commonwealth Court.” Other prospective candidates are Pittsburgh lawyer Barbara Behrend Ernsberger and Scranton lawyer Todd Eagen, neither of whom had been rated by the PBA’s JEC yet.
The Republican State Committee is set to meet in Harrisburg on February 12 to choose its endorsements. Harrisburg lawyer Vic Stabile and Philadelphia Judges Paul P. Panepinto and Paula Patrick have indicated an interest in running for the Superior Court seat. The PBA’s JEC rated Panepinto “highly recommended” and Stabile and Patrick “recommended.” The potential candidates for the Commonwealth Court seat are Commonwealth Court Judge Johnny Butler and New Hope lawyer Anne E. Covey. Butler was appointed by Rendell to complete his predecessor’s term and has received a “highly recommended” rating from the PBA’s JEC. However, there has been some concern expressed by GOP leaders that he would have to step down before the end of his 10 year term when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70. Covey received a “recommended” rating from the PBA’s JEC.
Tags: Anne E. Covey, Barbara Behrend Ernsberger, Democratic State Committee, Judge David N. Wecht, Judge Johnny Butler, Judge Paul P. Panepinto, Judge Paula Patrick, Judge Robert J. Colville, judicial elections, Judicial Evaluation Commission, Kathryn Coockvar, Republican State Committee, Todd Eagen, Vic Stabile
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[...] The endorsements came a week after the Democratic State Committee announced its judicial endorsements. [...]