The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has exercised its plenary power to transfer the third mandatory judicial retirement lawsuit from the Commonwealth Court to the Supreme Court. Following the transfer, the three judges and three voters requested that a special master be appointed.

PMC Executive Director Lynn Marks appeared on Philadelphia NBC-10 to discuss the negative impact of money in judicial elections.

Former Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin was resentenced on Tuesday by Judge Lester Nauhaus. Having previously been sentenced to three years of house arrest, she has now been resentenced to three consecutive one-year sentences of house arrest.

Today the House Judiciary Committee voted to move several bills to the House floor for debate and a vote; two concerning Traffic Court, one concerning funding for the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, and one concerning the mandatory retirement age of judges.

The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee meets today to discuss traffic court reforms and mandatory judicial retirement. Watch the live stream here.

Four judges from Allegheny County are travelling across district lines to ease the burden on an understaffed bench in Washington County.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently released its annual State of the Commonwealth’s Courts report. According to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Court’s press release, the occasion is designed to offer Pennsylvanians a better understanding of the judicial branch.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently heard arguments on two cases challenging the Pennsylvania constitutional provision requiring that judges retire at the end of the year they reach the age of 70. Several judges near or at the age of 70 have brought the challenge.

Governor Corbett signed a new law this week authorizing counties to abolish the office of jury commissioner. The new law will eliminate the need for voters to elect jury commissioners in those counties that choose to use its authority by again abolishing the jury commissioner office.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court adopted a rule that will abolish the use of parent coordinators in child custody cases. According to the Court’s April 23 order, Rule 1915.11-1 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure take effect May 23.