HARRISBURG (March 25, 1997) -- The final group of ratings for candidates seeking election to Pennsylvania's appellate courts was released today by Pennsylvania Judicial Evaluation Commission Chair John A. Carpenter.

Of the nine candidates, John L. Musmanno is Highly Recommended and John J. Driscoll and Robert B. Surrick are Recommended. Margaret M. Stuski, Lydia Y. Kirkland, Kevin J. Flaherty, Gregory F. Cirillo, Robert C. Gallo and Seamus P. McCaffery are Not Recommended.

Carpenter noted that three candidates-Flaherty, Cirillo and Gallo were unwilling to go through the evaluation process.

"I am very concerned that candidates who want to sit on our Commonwealth's highest courts are unwilling to go through a process that would better inform voters of their qualifications," Carpenter said. "Because they did not cooperate with us, we had no choice but to give them an unfavorable rating."

This is the final group of candidates to be rated by the newly created Citizens' Commission, comprised of nine lawyers and nine laypersons. Starting in February, the Commission has announced ratings for 32 candidates seeking election to six vacancies on the Commonwealth's appellate courts. Since that time, six have withdrawn from the race.

On May 20, voters will determine who their political party's candidates will be for the November general election. There is one vacancy on the Supreme Court, four vacancies on the Superior Court and one on the Commonwealth Court.

In the Republican primary for Supreme Court, Thomas G. Saylor, who received a Not Recommended rating, is the lone candidate. For the four vacancies on the Superior Court, there are six Republican candidates. Michael T. Joyce, James P. MacElree and Gregory F. Cirillo are Not Recommended, and Correale F. Stevens, Joan Orie Melvin and Robert B. Surrick are Recommended.

Bonnie B. Leadbetter is the only candidate on the Republican ballot for the vacancy on the Commonwealth Court. She has received a Recommended rating.

Democratic voters will have four people to choose from for the Supreme Court justice vacancy. Kate Ford Elliott and Joseph A. Del Sole are both Highly Recommended, Berle M. Schiller is Recommended and Margaret M. Stuski is Not Recommended.

For the four vacancies on the Superior Court, Democrats will have 11 candidates on the ballot. Jon Pushinsky, Gene B. Strassburger, Thomas A. Wallitsch and John L. Musmanno are Highly Recommended.

Barry F. Feudale, Renardo L. Hicks, Peter J. O'Brien, Debra B. Todd and John J. Driscoll are Recommended. Lydia Y. Kirkland and Kevin J. Flaherty are Not Recommended.

All three Democratic candidates running for a seat on the Commonwealth Court are Not Recommended: John T. McVay, Jr., Seamus P. McCaffery and Robert C. Gallo.

According to Carpenter, it is important that voters use the Commission's ratings as a guide. "Judicial elections are quite different than other political campaigns, because judges are not permitted to offer any opinion on subjects that may come before them as a judge," Carpenter said. "As a result, the criteria for choosing qualified candidates is limited to such things as ballot position, where the candidate is from, name recognition and the political party endorsement. We hope that voters will use the Commission's ratings as the most important criteria when selecting their candidates."

Each candidate undergoes a two-phase evaluation process. The first phase involves completing an extensive questionnaire and submitting writing samples. An investigative panel reviews the questionnaire and writing samples and conducts an interview. Individuals who know the candidate are also contacted. A final interview is then held before the Judicial Evaluation Commission.

After a careful review of the research and investigation, the Commission reaches a rating of Highly Recommended, Recommended or Not Recommended for each candidate.

Voters may call toll free 888-238-2377 to receive the ratings and additional information on the appellate court candidates from now until the primary.