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Sizing up the Judiciary Talks Are Underway to Assess the Number of Trial Judges Needed

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Four Appellate Court Jurists Retained . page 10 Issue 4, 2013 newsletter of the administrative office of pa courts Sizing up the judiciary Talks are underway to assess the number of trial judges needed. The statewide “right sizing” effort follows similar work in the minor courts. by Joseph Mittleman The Supreme Court has embarked on a venture never case types, (e.g., criminal, civil, family, orphans, juvenile), on before attempted in Pennsylvania — an evidence-based the general lengths of time cases take to complete, and on study to calculate how many Common Pleas Court judges reviewing the results. are needed to handle the workload in each judicial district. The first committee meeting took place November 15 in “Right sizing” the Commonwealth’s judicial complement the Pennsylvania Judicial Center with members outlining to has been a concern for a number of years. the NCSC consultants the desired structure of the study. Having the right number of judges in each judicial district The study requires Pennsylvania’s Common Pleas Court is an economic imperative and fundamental to ensuring judges, using a secure, Web-based system, to report for that Pennsylvania’s courts can continue to provide a high one month the amount of time they spend on various level of quality service. cases and tasks they perform. For example, time spent on Studies of this kind are also known as weighted caseload holding hearings, conducting settlement conferences or studies since they measure not only the number of cases writing opinions, as well as non-case-related activities like handled by each court, but also the amount of a judge’s administrative duties. time needed to perform the various tasks related to a case. The time measurement — when considered along with The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has been a judicial district’s caseload — will indicate the number of hired to perform the study. Suzanne Tallarico, NCSC judges needed to handle the work of that district. principal court management consultant, will serve as NCSC staff will travel throughout the state to provide project director, assisted by John Douglas, also from NCSC. training for the judges participating in the study and to Tallarico and Douglas have done similar work in 16 other answer any questions. states. The final product will provide a data-based standard for A judicial steering committee, composed of Common the number of judicial positions needed for each judicial Pleas Court judges from different sized counties across the district. The resulting calculations will give the General state — along with AOPC staff — is overseeing the project. Assembly an objective measure to assess the necessity of The committee will advise the NCSC on identifying general (continued on page 3) Transitions New to the Judicial Branch Retirements Kathy M. Manderino, Esq. - reapptd. to Interest on Lawyers Trust Account Board County County Joy G. McNally, Esq. - apptd. to Committee on Rules of Evidence Paul Hindmarsh - Luzerne - deputy court Joseph Lanzalotti - Philadelphia - Leonard Packel, Esq. - reapptd. official administrator deputy court administrator reporter for Committee on Rules of Rayna Kitchen - Bradford - deputy court Cathy Marburger - Berks - deputy court Evidence administrator administrator Hon. Jacqueline L. Russell - apptd. to Robert Pollock - Bucks - deputy court Interest on Lawyers Trust Account Board administrator Resignations James C. Schwartzman, Esq. - apptd. chair of Interest on Lawyers Trust Account Board AOPC County Tiffany Elizabeth Sizemore, Esq. - apptd. to Juvenile Court Procedural Rules Committee Christina Brown - Judicial Services - clerical Alan M. Black - Lehigh - sr. Common Pleas Hon. Carol L. Van Horn - reapptd. to assistant Court judge Domestic Relations Procedural Rules Melvin Colins - Judicial Automation - Jesse J. Cramer - Fayette - magisterial Committee IT specialist district judge Hon. Margherita Patti-Worthington - apptd. Kathryn Ersoz - Judicial Automation - Deborah Higgins - Huntingdon - vice chair of Interest on Lawyers Trust IT specialist district court administrator Account Board William Fonticoba - Judicial Automation - Joseph R. Lefaiver - Erie - magisterial business analyst district judge Other Boards/Committees Colin Haviland - Legal - staff attorney - Timothy McCullough - Washington - litigation deputy court administrator Eugene J. Dooley - reapptd. to Judicial Richard Michaels - Judicial Automation - Joseph I. Papalini - Philadelphia - Conduct Board database developer sr. Common Pleas Court judge Hon. Jayne F. Duncan - apptd. to Judicial Ryan Seiders - Judicial Automation - Conduct Board AV technician AOPC Hon. Jack A. Panella - apptd. to Court of Judicial Discipline Appointments Scott Black - Judicial Automation - AV technician Deaths County Brenda Ickes - Finance - accountant Jennifer Keagy - Judicial Automation - Patti S. Bednarik - Board of Law Examiners Brian W. Edgcomb - Tioga - magisterial systems trainer staff district judge - sr. judge Prutha Pathak - Judicial Automation - Matthew W. Bullock Jr. - Philadelphia - David B. Harding - Lehigh - sr. magisterial student IT intern former Common Pleas Court judge district judge Shan Shanmuganathan - Judicial John J. Chiovero - Philadelphia - former Rick A. Williams - Mifflin - Common Pleas Automation - Crystal Reports developer Common Pleas Court (sr.) judge Court judge - sr. judge Matthew Somerville - Judicial Automation - James M. Cox - Bradford - former district EDI programmer analyst justice Appellates H. Warren Hogeland - Bucks - former (sr.) Supreme Court Committees magisterial district judge Correale Stevens – Supreme Court Justice Eleanor Martin – Supreme Court – former John T. Bender – elected Superior Court Hon. Donna R. Butler - apptd. to Minor stenographer/typist president judge Court Rules Committee Anna O. McCall - Erie - former district James W. Diehm - apptd. to Committee on justice Rules of Evidence Thomas G. Peoples Jr. - Blair - former Thomas Dolgenos, Esq. - reapptd. to Common Pleas Court (sr.) judge Committee on Rules of Evidence Frances I. Rhodes - Warren - former district Hon. Justin M. Johnson - reapptd. to justice Interest on Lawyers Trust Account Board Joseph T. Labrum Jr. - Delaware - Lawrence M. Kelly, Esq. - apptd. to former Common Pleas Court judge Disciplinary Board Edwin L. Snyder - Jefferson - Donna M. Malpezzi, Esq. - apptd. to former Common Pleas Court (sr.) judge Continuing Legal Education Board Robert C. Wyda - Allegheny - magisterial district judge What’s Happening? AOPConnected is looking for stories from the AOPC and Pennsylvania Judiciary. Do you know of a court-related community project or award? Contact Art Heinz, editor, with the scoop! Email him: [email protected] 2 Into the light by Zig Pines The Puritans of New England never really had a chance. celebrated They had denounced Christmas as a popish invention the feast of without biblical basis, and they had forbidden the use Saturnalia as a of evergreens, viewed by them as a symbol of heathen victory of light superstition. The Puritans sought a life of austerity and over darkness. darkness, while others sought joy and light. Eventually, the Candles on forces of light prevailed. trees (a danger The celebration of the winter solstice holiday season is a requiring a nearby reflection of culture and character. While the holiday season pail of water) was an old English tradition before has historically been more secular than sectarian, there has the advent of electrical lighting in the late 1880s. In the always been a strong moral underpinning. midst of our winter, we take delight in the magical radiance of the menorah, the evergreen tree dressed in starlike orbs In 1867 Charles Dickens made a spectacularly successful of colorful lights and the solitary candle against a window tour of the United States as he read A Christmas Carol pane. We are reminded that the light, which brilliantly to enraptured audiences. They understood the important illuminates our houses and homes, reflects the light within social message of the Cratchit family tale. As Professor ourselves. Karal Ann Marling’s wonderful book on the history of Christmas noted, the tale was a charity sermon, It is no accident that we couple our season’s greetings emphasizing an important social message — the need for with wishes for a happy new year. We journey through a renewed spirit of benevolence, kindness and generosity. the receding darkness of the season and cross the portal Years later we recognize the same spirit when we see into a new year, one that brings the promise of rebirth Frank Capra’s 1946 film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” and renewal. As with nature, silent and stark in its skeletal simplicity, we gravitate toward the light of a new year and There are symbols of the season that possess a the hope that it symbolizes. transformative power. The exchange of cards and colorfully wrapped presents, the joyful music, the Salvation Army The editorial staff and I extend our best wishes for a kettle, glass ornaments on trees, and, as Professor Marling joyful holiday and a new year filled with good again noted, “the green leaves and red berries of the holly works and good will. tree remind[ing] squire and peasant alike that hope could flower, even in the depths of winter.” The great paradox of the holiday season is the light, (Zygmont Pines is the Court Administrator of Pennsylvania.) a source of both joy and inspiration. Ancient Romans (continued from cover) filling judicial vacancies and/or creating new judgeships. It also
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