Voter Guide - Statewide Judges and Lehigh Valley Candidates - L Women Voters

http://www.lwvlv.org/voteguide_09.htm

The above is the League of Women Voters' Voters Guide for PA Statewide Judges and races in Lehigh and Northampton Counties.

There is one State Supreme Court seat available (I personally support Jack Panella) and many other statewide judge elections.

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http://palwv.org/voting/2009/Primary%20Voters%20Guide.pdf

Voters get to choose 3 of 6 candidates for the Democratic nominees for Superior Court and 2 of 6 candidates for Commonwealth Court. The Superior Court mainly handles criminal matters while the Commonwealth Court mainly handles governmental matters.

There is only one Dem candidate for Supreme Court, Jack Panella.

Here's the PA Bar Association Recommendations for the candidates:

http://www.pabar.org/public/news%20releases/pr020409.asp

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania -
Highly Recommended
Judge Cheryl L. Allen, Allegheny County
Judge Joan Orie Melvin, Allegheny County
Judge Jack A. Panella, Northampton County (only Dem)
Judge Paul Panepinto, Philadelphia County
Judge Teresa Sarmina, Philadelphia County
Recommended
Judge Jacqueline O. Shogan, Allegheny County

Superior Court of Pennsylvania -
Highly Recommended
Judge Judith F. Olson, Allegheny County
Judge Anne E. Lazarus, Philadelphia County

Recommended
Judge Robert J. Colville, Allegheny County
Kevin F. McCarthy, Allegheny County
Judge Paula A. Patrick, Philadelphia County
Templeton Smith Jr., Allegheny County
Judge John Milton Younge, Philadelphia County
Sallie Updyke Mundy, Tioga County

Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania -
Recommended
Kevin Brobson, Dauphin County
Judge Patricia A. McCullough, Allegheny County
Daniel K. Bricmont, Allegheny County
Judge Alfonso Frioni Jr., Allegheny County
Linda S. Judson, Allegheny County
Judge James Murray Lynn, Philadelphia County
Michael Sherman, Allegheny County

Not Recommended
Barbara Jo Ernsberger, Allegheny County

(My Note - Not recommended is very rare)

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Phila. Inquirer endorsements:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20090504_Editorial__Judicial_endorsements.html

"In a six-way Democratic primary, the best choices happen to be the party-endorsed slate: Allegheny Common Pleas Judge ROBERT J. COLVILLE; and Philadelphia Common Pleas Judges ANNE LAZARUS and JOHN YOUNGE.

Colville, 43, is distinguished by his hard work and passion about "the improvement of the quality of justice," according to the state bar. Lazarus, 52, received the bar's highest recommendation and was described as "intelligent, thoughtful . . . and scholarly." In 12 years as a city judge, Younge, 53, has "presided over a diverse and heavy caseload," the bar said.

Seven Democrats and three Republicans are vying for nominations to two Commonwealth Court seats. Pittsburgh-area attorney DANIEL K. BRICMONT, 44, has extensive legal experience before the court, handling workers' compensation cases. Philadelphia lawyer STEPHEN G. POLLOCK, 57, has a broad range of legal experience, with a focus on town planning and zoning issues."

http://go.philly.com/bench09