HARRISBURG (Jan. 24, 2007) � The Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Commission (PBA JEC) today released another round of ratings for potential judicial candidates seeking election to the state�s appellate courts in November.

Each candidate requesting an evaluation by the PBA JEC is eligible to receive a rating of �Highly Recommended,� �Recommended� or �Not Recommended.� Today�s ratings are the second set of evaluations with potential candidates. A third round of ratings will be issued in early February.

The PBA JEC�s ratings completed during the second round of evaluations are as follows:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania �
Highly Recommended
Judge C. Darnell Jones II, Philadelphia County

Highly Recommended
Judge Paul P. Panepinto, Philadelphia County

Highly Recommended
Judge Debra Todd, Allegheny County

Recommended
Judge Michael L. Krancer, Montgomery County

Recommended
Judge Seamus P. McCaffery, Philadelphia County

Superior Court of Pennsylvania �
Recommended
Jacqueline O. Shogan, Westmoreland County

Not Recommended
Richard M. Cappelli, Delaware County

During the upcoming elections, voters will be filling two vacancies on the Supreme Court and two vacancies on the Superior Court, plus voters will be deciding on the retention of eight appellate judges.

�The PBA JEC provides information to help voters choose candidates best suited to serve as fair, impartial and knowledgeable judges,� said Pittsburgh lawyer Chris F. Gillotti, chair of the PBA JEC. �By its own definitions, the PBA JEC only recommends potential candidates with the legal ability, experience, integrity and temperament to provide satisfactory or outstanding performance as judges on our appellate benches.�

The PBA JEC based its ratings for each candidate on a two-part evaluation process. Investigative panels conducted the first phase of the process, which included personal interviews with the candidates and with individuals who have had professional or personal dealings with them. Upon completion of the investigative process, 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 Gillotti in the leadership of the PBA JEC is Erie County lawyer Steven E. (Tim) Riley Jr. as vice chair. Lawyer members include Michael A. Bloom of Philadelphia County; Frederick N. Egler Jr. of Allegheny County; Stephanie F. Latimore of Dauphin County; Lucille Marsh of Lackawanna County; Heidi B. Masano of Berks County; Pamela J. Mayer of Cambria County; John R. McGinley of Allegheny County; Dianne I. Nichols of Dauphin County; Mark D. Shepard of Allegheny County; Kathryn Lease Simpson of Dauphin County; and John F. Stoviak of Philadelphia County. Non-lawyer members are Esther Bush of Allegheny County; Daniel A. Cirucci of Montgomery County; David W. Hamstead of Allegheny County; Jeraldine D. Kozloff of Berks County; and R. Thomas Williamson of Lawrence County.

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.

Honorable C. Darnell Jones II, Philadelphia County
Rating: Highly Recommended

The Candidate is president judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County and has been a member of this court since 1987. Prior to serving as a judge, he was an attorney at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. His administrative qualities have been demonstrated through his service as chair of the Administrative Governing Board for the First Judicial District and his former service as chief of the family division of the Defender Association. The candidate has excellent writing skills and has authored more than 120 opinions. He has presided over hundreds of jury and bench trials. The Candidate is a nationally-recognized judicial expert in matters of criminal law. He enjoys the respect of his peers and an excellent reputation in the legal and social community. The Candidate is extremely hard working, intellectually curious and is a dedicated, dependable community servant. The Commission believes that the Candidate has the experience, temperament, intellectual ability, character, life experiences and integrity necessary for outstanding service as a Justice of the Supreme Court. He is highly recommended for this position.

Questionnaire withdrawn at the former Candidate's request, February 2015.

Honorable Paul P. Panepinto, Philadelphia County
Rating: Highly Recommended

The Candidate has been a member of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia since 1990. He is knowledgeable and a good communicator and has an excellent reputation as a jurist. He couples that with extensive administrative experience. As administrative judge of the Family Court in Philadelphia for five years, he is credited with developing several innovative programs, including a truancy program that has become a national model. He also has exhibited substantial expertise in handling complex civil litigation. The Candidate exhibits energy, thoughtfulness and innovation in facilitating improvements to the administration of justice. He also demonstrates solid consensus-building skills. His extensive legal knowledge and good judicial temperament, combined with personal and administrative skills make him an outstanding candidate for the position of justice of the Supreme Court. He is highly recommended for this position.

Read the Candidate�s questionnaire.

Honorable Debra Todd, Allegheny County
Rating: Highly Recommended

The Candidate has served on the Pennsylvania Superior Court since her election in 1999. On the court, she is known for her passion for the law, her academic approach to decision making and her thoughtful, thorough scholarly opinions. She brings a breadth of experience from an active civil litigation practice, which has been expanded because a majority of her time on the court is devoted to criminal matters. She has continued her involvement in a variety of community service endeavors, especially those dealing with young people. She has a strong commitment to the law and to the improvement of the court system, both of which have helped instill public awareness of and confidence in the judiciary. The Commission believes the Candidate has the intellectual ability, personal integrity, strong sense of fairness, and diverse practical and academic experience to serve with distinction on the highest court. She is highly recommended for this position.

Read the Candidate�s questionnaire.

Hon. Michael L. Krancer, Montgomery County
Rating: Recommended

The Candidate currently serves on the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board (EHB), a statewide trial court for environmental litigation. He was appointed to that board as a judge in October 1999 and confirmed by the Senate and elevated to chief judge in 2003. In 2005, he was reappointed and again confirmed by the Senate. The Candidate was a litigator in Philadelphia from 1983 until his appointment to the EHB. The Candidate possesses an excellent work ethic; he is scholarly, thoughtful, hard working and passionate about the law. His opinions are complete and authoritative and have been well accepted by the appellate courts. He enjoys an excellent reputation and has been actively engaged for many years in public service and community involvement. The Commission believes that the Candidate�s experience, demeanor and temperament, coupled with his intellect and work ethic, render him competent to fulfill the demanding responsibilities of a Supreme Court Justice.

Read the Candidate�s questionnaire.

Honorable Seamus P. McCaffery, Philadelphia County
Rating: Recommended

The Candidate has a wide range of experiences in the Pennsylvania legal system. He has served in law enforcement and as a lawyer, municipal judge and now as a judge on the Superior Court. His unique background and work experience affords him a solid understanding and appreciation of the workings of the unified judiciary. This, combined with his service as administrative judge of the Philadelphia Municipal Court, makes him well suited to serve as a member of our highest court. The Candidate has demonstrated a life-long commitment to public service and is currently a Colonel in the United States Air Force (Res.) and Air Force liaison to the Department of Homeland Security. The Candidate offers a high level of energy and a strong work ethic. He is recognized for his strong personality and is an innovative and creative problem solver. He has great respect for the law, its institutions and traditions. He is committed to improving the public�s understanding and respect for the legal system and the courts. The Commission believes that the Candidate has the requisite legal ability and skills necessary to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.

Read the Candidate�s questionnaire.

Jacqueline O. Shogan, Westmoreland County
Rating: Recommended

The Candidate has practiced law since 1990. She has extensive experience in the area of health law and currently teaches a legal course on appellate practice. She served as a clerk and staff attorney in the federal district court for the western district of Pennsylvania. Since 2002, her practice has focused on complex civil litigation and appellate work. She demonstrates significant skills in articulating her positions and writes in a clear and well-organized fashion. She is known for her intelligence, diligence, work ethic and pro bono activities. She has a strong record of community involvement and is known for her devotion to public service and personal integrity. She has a keen interest in mediation and alternative dispute resolution. The Commission believes that the candidate possesses the requisite legal and intellectual ability to serve on the Superior Court.

Read the Candidate�s questionnaire.

Richard M. Cappelli, Delaware County
Rating: Not Recommended

The Candidate is a magisterial judge for Delaware County district court. He was appointed by Gov. Robert P. Casey in 1992 and he has served diligently and competently. He is well regarded by the judges and lawyers of Delaware County and is dedicated to his community. He co-authored a manual for magisterial judges and has updated it periodically. However, the Candidate presents no sufficient record of judicial opinions, legal briefs or scholarly writings to allow assessment of his ability to discharge the responsibilities of a Superior Court judge. He has had minimal experience before appellate courts and has not demonstrated a sense of the internal procedures and administrative issues that face a Superior Court judge. The Commission is unable to recommend his candidacy for Superior Court.

Read the Candidate�s questionnaire.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association exists to promote justice, professional excellence and respect of the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 29,000 lawyers who are members of the association.