HARRISBURG (Jan. 22, 2003) � The Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Evaluation
Commission (PBA JEC) today released its ratings of sixteen potential judicial candidates
seeking election to the state�s appellate courts in November. Candidates were
eligible to receive a rating of "Highly Recommended," " Recommended"
or "Not Recommended." The sixteen candidates for whom ratings were announced had
requested to be evaluated by the PBA JEC. The PBA JEC will conduct a second set of
evaluations with other potential candidates on Jan. 23 and a third round on Feb. 10.
The ratings are:
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania �
Highly Recommended
Judge Maureen Lally-Green, Butler County
Judge Joan Orie Melvin, Allegheny County
Recommended
Charles J. Cunningham Esq., Philadelphia County
Judge Jeffrey A. Manning, Allegheny County
Superior Court of Pennsylvania �
Highly Recommended
Judge Mark I. Bernstein, Philadelphia County
C. Grainger Bowman Esq., Cumberland County
Judge Jack A. Panella, Northampton County
Recommended
Charles J. Cunningham Esq., Philadelphia County
Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin, Schuylkill County
Judge John J. Driscoll, Westmoreland County
Susan Peikes Gantman Esq., Montgomery County
Judge Marilyn J. Horan, Butler County
Dennis E. Reinaker Esq., Lancaster County
Timothy J. Schweers Esq., Allegheny County
Claude A. Lord Shields Esq., Schuylkill County
Judge John W. Thompson, York County
David N. Wecht Esq., Allegheny County
For the 2003 election, there will be a total of four open seats at the appellate level,
with one vacancy on the Supreme Court and three vacancies on the Superior Court.
"The PBA JEC is extremely pleased with the high level of interest shown by
potential candidates to participate in our evaluation process," said Philadelphia
lawyer Michael A. Bloom, chair of the PBA JEC. "When citizens enter the voting booth
in the May primary, they will be faced with a long list of candidates from which to
choose. It is the PBA JEC�s job to provide the guidance and information needed to
help voters make informed choices when they select candidates for Pennsylvania�s
judiciary."
The PBA JEC based its ratings for each candidate on a two-part evaluation process.
Investigative panels conducted the first phase of the process through personal interviews
with the candidates and with individuals who have had professional or personal dealings
with them. Upon completion of the interviews, the panels submitted confidential reports to
the Commission.
Upon receipt and review of the investigative panel�s report, the Commission
conducted the second phase of the evaluation process. The Commission interviewed each
candidate in Harrisburg, discussed his or her qualifications and reached consensus on each
candidate�s rating.
Serving with Bloom in the leadership of the PBA JEC is New Castle lawyer Richard E. Flannery as vice chair. Lawyer members include Samuel T. Cooper III of Dauphin County; Chris F. Gillotti of Allegheny County; Lucille Marsh of Lackawanna County; John R. McGinley Jr. of Allegheny County; Steven E. "Tim" Riley Jr. of Erie County; Jeffrey Rotwitt of Philadelphia County; Kathryn Lease Simpson of Dauphin County; John F. Stoviak of Philadelphia County; and Louis N. Teti of Chester County. Lay members are Ann Amore of Montgomery County; Christine James-Brown of Philadelphia; Pamela J. Mayer of Westmoreland County; Jane G. Pepper of Delaware County; Lawrence J. Rhoades of Westmoreland County; and R. Thomas Williamson of Lawrence County.
The Pennsylvania Bar Association is a professional organization that represents 27,000
lawyers across the commonwealth.
Editor�s Note: Ratings and descriptive paragraphs for each candidate are below.
Redacted copies of the questionnaires submitted by the candidates can be obtained from the
PBA.
RATINGS� DEFINITIONS
Highly Recommended: The candidate possesses the highest combination of legal
ability, experience, integrity and temperament, and would be capable of outstanding
performance as a judge or justice of the court for which he/she is a candidate.
Recommended: Based on legal ability, experience, integrity and temperament, the
candidate would be able to perform satisfactorily as a judge or justice of the court for
which he/she is a candidate.
Not Recommended: Based on legal ability, experience, integrity or temperament, or
any combination thereof, at the present time, the candidate is inadequate to perform
satisfactorily as a judge or justice of the court for which he/she is a candidate.
2003 JUDICIAL CANDIDATE RATINGS
SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
Charles J. Cunningham, Esquire
Supreme Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate has been in the private practice of law since 1986. Prior to that time, he
worked for the Philadelphia District Attorney�s Office for a thirteen-year period
where he served in both the trial and appellate divisions. He has extensive trial and
litigation experience in a variety of areas. He has earned a reputation among his peers as
being thoughtful, knowledgeable, deliberative, hard working, fair, intelligent, insightful
and attentive. He has a strong record of community involvement. The Candidate�s
experience, calm demeanor and temperament, coupled with his intellect and ability to grasp
the issues, render him competent to fulfill the demanding responsibilities of a Supreme
Court Justice.
Honorable Maureen Lally-Green
Supreme Court
Rating: Highly Recommended
The Candidate was appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court in 1998 and elected to a
ten-year term in 1999. Her prior legal experience includes teaching at Duquesne University
School of Law since 1983, the practice of law in the areas of securities, business and
corporations and service as a research associate and consultant to the Supreme Court. The
Candidate�s diverse legal background makes her exceptionally well qualified for a
position on the Supreme Court. She has written extensively and both her legal articles and
opinions are thoughtful and scholarly. She is viewed as exceptionally intelligent, very
disciplined and hard working. Her judicial temperament and impartiality in her
decision-making are beyond reproach. She deals with counsel with fairness, courtesy and
respect. The Commission believes that the Candidate has the breadth of community and legal
experience and skills to serve with distinction as a Justice of the Supreme Court.
Honorable Jeffrey A. Manning
Supreme Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate has extensive experience in both civil and criminal law having served as an
Assistant District Attorney, Assistant U.S. Attorney and then as Senior Litigation
Counsel. He currently serves as a judge in the Criminal Division of the Court of Common
Pleas of Allegheny County. He possesses strong administrative skills and substantial
teaching experience. He has authored numerous articles and opinions which are well
written, appropriately researched, comprehensive and understandable to both the lawyer and
the layperson. The Candidate is known as a person of integrity with a keen intellect, and
an excellent work ethic. He is regarded as being fair to litigants and lawyers who appear
before him. Especially noteworthy is his love for the law. The Commission believes that
the Candidate�s experience, intellect, energy and enthusiasm would enable him to
perform the very demanding duties of a Supreme Court Justice.
Honorable Joan Orie Melvin
Supreme Court
Rating: Highly Recommended
The Candidate has the noteworthy history of having served on three levels of the
judiciary; Magistrate�s Court in Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County Court of Common
Pleas and the Pennsylvania Superior Court. She has served with distinction in each of
these courts. As a city magistrate, she created and implemented a Domestic Violence Court
which has become a model for similar courts across the country. In the Common Pleas Court,
she earned a reputation as a hard-working, dedicated and well-respected judge, known
uniformly to be fair, considerate and unbiased. During her tenure on the Superior Court,
she has extended her reputation for hard work, good judicial temperament, and legal
scholarship. She also has continued her interest in judicial administration, most notably
by encouraging and advancing procedures to expand the number of published opinions. Her
broad experience, outstanding and well-earned reputation and her history of innovation in
matters of the administration of justice and furtherance of the legal process make her an
outstanding candidate for the position of Justice of the Supreme Court.
SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
Honorable Mark I. Bernstein
Superior Court
Rating: Highly Recommended
The Candidate has served as a Common Pleas Judge in Philadelphia County for 16 years,
having first been appointed by former Governor Casey in early 1987, elected later in 1987
for a ten-year term, and retained in 1997 for a second 10-year term. Prior to serving as a
judge, the Candidate served as an Assistant Public Defender for the City of Philadelphia
and a civil litigator, and also as a solo practitioner and partner in a law firm. He is
intelligent, thoughtful, candid, and scholarly, and demonstrates superior writing ability,
knowledge of the law and judicial temperament. The Candidate has a record and reputation
for excellent character and integrity and has demonstrated sound judgment in his
professional life. He has been innovative and instrumental in helping to greatly reduce
case backlog and effect the settlement of cases in Philadelphia County. He also has a
strong desire to improve the quality of justice in the Commonwealth. He has written
extensively for various publications and is active in his community. The Commission
concludes that the Candidate would bring commitment, enthusiasm, perspective, legal
knowledge and depth of experience to the Superior Court.
C. Grainger Bowman, Esquire
Superior Court
Rating: Highly Recommended
The Candidate has extensive experience in both State and Federal court. He has practiced
law since 1972 and has enjoyed a diverse career. He has served as an Assistant District
Attorney, an Assistant Legal Officer in the Judge Advocate Corps, a law clerk instructor
and practitioner. This Commission previously rated the Candidate as Highly Recommended for
an open position on the Commonwealth Court. The Commission believes that the skill sets
that resulted in the Candidate�s receiving this rating for the Commonwealth Court are
transferable to the Superior Court and that the Candidate�s qualities of judicial
temperament, legal ability, independence and fairness that were found to exist in his
earlier candidacy are applicable equally here. His fellow practitioners give the candidate
exceptional recommendations for civility, confidence, fairness, integrity and industry.
His writing is persuasive, erudite and thorough. The Commission believes that the
Candidate would serve with distinction on the Superior Court.
Charles J. Cunningham, Esquire
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate has been in the private practice of law since 1986. Prior to that time, he
worked for the Philadelphia District Attorney�s Office for a thirteen-year period
where he served in both the trial and appellate divisions. Mr. Cunningham has extensive
experience in a broad variety of litigation matters. He is a skilled litigator and writer
whose work product is thoughtful, appropriately rendered and clearly written. He has
earned a stellar reputation among his peers for his abilities, thoughtfulness and
fairness. The Candidate has a record and reputation for excellent character and integrity
and sound temperament. He has demonstrated good professional judgment and a devotion and
long-time commitment to improving the quality of justice. He also has a commendable record
of community involvement. Based on his legal ability, integrity and temperament, the
Commission believes that the Candidate would perform well as a Judge of the Superior
Court.
Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate has served on the Court of Common Pleas in Schuylkill County for almost
twelve years, and during his tenure he has earned a reputation of being an excellent
jurist. His service on the court, in addition to his prior experience in private practice
and as an Assistant District Attorney, has provided him with a breadth of experience and
knowledge of the law particularly suited for service on the Superior Court. Judge Dolbin
is well respected and he is regarded as conscientious, honest, diligent, decisive, and
fair. His extensive legal knowledge, his keen intellect, and his unbiased temperament, as
well as his proven judicial ability, all are qualities that the Commission believes will
enable Judge Dolbin to fulfill the demanding responsibilities of a Superior Court Judge.
Honorable John J. Driscoll
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate has served as a member of the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County
since 1994. He then was elected to a ten-year term in 1995. The Candidate has extensive
experience in areas of law that are within the jurisdiction of the Superior Court. He has
served in the Family, Criminal and Juvenile Divisions of the Court of Common Pleas. Before
his appointment as a Judge, the Candidate practiced law and served as District Attorney.
His private practice involved civil litigation as well as the representation of
individuals and businesses in a general practice. As District Attorney, Judge Driscoll
developed solid administrative and managerial skills. Members of the bar who have appeared
before him give him high marks for judicial temperament, work ethic and a good grasp of
legal issues. The Candidate exhibits a competent, concise and clear writing style in his
opinions. He shows a dedication to the people of Pennsylvania and a heartfelt desire to
serve their interests. By education, training, experience and temperament, Judge Driscoll
would be suited to serve on the Superior Court.
Susan Peikes Gantman
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate's background includes a combination of experience and knowledge which
provide her with the credentials necessary to serve on the Superior Court. She has served
as a law clerk, Assistant District Attorney in Montgomery County, lecturer, borough
solicitor and practitioner in the private practice of law with an emphasis in domestic
relations and juvenile and business law. She also has served as legal consultant to the
Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth for many years. The Candidate has developed
an excellent reputation for professionalism, even-handed temperament, as well as an
extensive record of community involvement. She both articulates her positions and writes
in a clear, thoughtful and persuasive fashion. Her professionalism, integrity, innate
fairness, demeanor, enthusiasm and background enables the Commission to conclude that she
would be well suited to serve on the Superior Court.
Judge Marilyn J. Horan
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate was appointed as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Butler County in 1996
and subsequently was elected to a ten-year term as Common Pleas Judge in Butler County.
Prior to becoming a Common Pleas Judge, the Candidate engaged in a general practice in
Butler County with a particular emphasis on family law matters and civil litigation. The
Candidate had a distinguished academic career graduating with honors from Penn State. The
Candidate has earned the highest respect from the lawyers who have handled cases before
her. She receives high praise for her fairness, judicial temperament and intellect. Her
opinions are well written clear explanations of her reasoning for a decision. The
Candidate is a poised and thoughtful person. Her responses to questions on a wide range of
topics demonstrated that she has the ability to analyze and reach a thoughtful conclusion
while at the same time recognizing the merits of an opposing view. Her direct, yet
gracious style would serve her well in building consensus with her colleagues on the
Superior Court.
Honorable Jack A. Panella
Superior Court
Rating: Highly Recommended
The Candidate has served as a Court of Common Pleas Judge in Northampton County since
1991. He was appointed in 1991 and elected to a ten-year term in 1993. The Candidate also
previously served a full four-year term, from 1997 to 2001, as Associate Judge and
President Judge of the Court of Judicial Discipline for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Prior to becoming a judge, the Candidate was in private practice in Northampton County and
he served as Northampton County Solicitor from 1987 to 1991 when he was appointed to Judge
of the Court of Common Pleas. The Candidate is articulate, poised and very bright. He has
a no-nonsense style that is highlighted by his highly responsive answers to various
inquiries. The Candidate has demonstrated his judicial temperament during his tenure on
the bench in Northampton County and he has demonstrated his administrative skills through
his effective handling of a heavy and complex asbestos litigation docket. The Candidate
also has had meaningful involvement in all substantive areas of law that regularly are
addressed by the Superior Court. The Candidate�s combination of demonstrated judicial
skills, intellect and judicial temperament qualify him for Highly Recommended rating.
Dennis E. Reinaker, Esquire
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate has an impressive depth and breadth of legal experience, having practiced
law in central Pennsylvania for more than twenty-five years in a number of different
capacities. He has served his community as both a prosecutor and a public defender, as
well as a deputy Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He also has
substantial experience in civil litigation, family law and municipal and land use law. His
writing style is characterized by strong research and analytical abilities, and he
communicates articulately and intelligently. The Candidate has demonstrated an even and
measured temperament, as well as a willingness to listen to all sides of a particular
argument or issue. He has an exemplary commitment to public service as a member of both a
zoning hearing board and a board of commissioners for a township of the first class in
Lancaster County. His comprehensive and well-rounded legal and community service, and his
solid knowledge of established legal principles, make him well suited for a position on
the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
Timothy J. Schweers, Esquire
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate is an accomplished trial lawyer with experience in the representation of
plaintiffs in complex product liability, medical malpractice and personal injury suits. He
has gained the respect of opposing counsel and judges before whom he has appeared as a
skilled advocate with the ability to conceptualize and resolve legal problems. His writing
style is clean and direct. His integrity is unquestioned, and his temperament well suited
to the position he seeks. He has a strong record of community involvement. While Mr.
Schweers lacks significant experience in criminal and family law, which comprise a large
portion of the cases which come before the Superior Court, the Commission is satisfied
that he has the intellect and energy to master these areas of law. The Commission believes
that the Candidate possesses those qualities that will enable him to perform as a judge of
the Superior Court, and therefore recommends him for the position.
Claude A. Lord Shields, Esquire
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate has a strong academic background. While his career has included periods of
private practice that have exposed the Candidate to several areas of law that would serve
him well on the Superior Court, his most significant professional achievement has been to
serve for sixteen years as District Attorney of Schuylkill County. He has had considerable
and successful experience as a prosecutor at both the trial and appellate levels. He also
served as President of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association. He has a
reputation as being thoughtful and having the appropriate temperament, demeanor and
decorum necessary for an appellate judicial position. The Candidate has a strong record of
service in civic, community and professional organizations. The Commission has concluded
that the Candidate possesses the legal ability and work ethic necessary to recommend him
for a position on the Superior Court.
Honorable John W. Thompson
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate has a broad range of experience and has served as a Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas for York County since 1998. In private practice, he has had extensive
experience in representations involving education, bankruptcy ,criminal and family law. He
also served as a special divorce master and as First District Attorney in York County.
Judge Thompson was instrumental in the establishment of a successful and innovative
three-year pilot drug program for teenagers in York County. His opinions are fully
researched, clearly written and well considered. Lawyers who have appeared before him
regard him as fair, impartial, reasonable and thoughtful. These qualities, coupled with
his candor and accessibility make Judge Thompson well suited to serve on the Superior
Court.
David N. Wecht, Esquire
Superior Court
Rating: Recommended
The Candidate has the intellectual capacity, enthusiasm, work ethic and personal energy
necessary to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court. He has a pristine and impressive
academic background. His legal experience has been varied, and includes public service as
the elected Register of Wills in Allegheny County since 1997 (reelected in 1999),
experience as an adjunct professor at Duquesne University School of Law and as a general
practitioner with a diverse, private practice with a strong litigation emphasis. His
experience as Register of Wills demonstrates solid administrative ability, a commitment to
service delivery and a dedication to the administration of justice. His commitment to
public and community service is noteworthy. The Candidate is articulate, writes very well
and clearly and appears deliberate and thoughtful, all strong assets that should serve him
well as a Judge of Superior Court.
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