First Judicial District of Pennsylvania OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT ADMINISTRATOR DAVID D. WASSON III, ESQ. DISTRICT COURT ADMINISTRATOR 369 CITY HALL PHILADELPHIA, PA 19107 (215) 686-2963 FAX: (215) 568-2733 Website:www.courts.phila.gov E-Mail: [email protected] August 19, 2011 Dear Fellow Citizens: It is with great pleasure and pride that I present to you the 2010 Annual Report for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (FJD). On behalf of the 125 Judges, six Magistrates, and 2,400 employees of the FJD, it has been an honor to serve all the litigants and community in the fair, prompt, and independent administration of justice for the City and County of Philadelphia. The Judiciary has a very important and unique role in our system of government. Because of the size of Philadelphia, our courts encounter many complex issues and seek to render competent, practical resolutions to these issues. As you can see from the following reports by court,I believe that the FJD has served you well. In addition, the FJD enjoys national attention as one of the premier court systems in the country. It is my desire that you find the 2010 Annual Report to be an informative and transparent look into the operations of your court system. DAVID D. WASSON III, ESQUIRE FFFaaaccceeesss ooofff CCCiiitttyyy HHHaaallllll::: dddeeetttaaaiiilll ooofff wwwooommmaaannn’’’sss fffaaaccceee (((tttoooppp))) aaannnddd bbbuuusssttt ooofff WWWiiilllllliiiaaammm PPPeeennnnnn ppprrriiiooorrr tttooo iiitttsss mmmooouuunnntttiiinnnggg ooonnn ttthhheee ssstttaaatttuuueee aaatttoooppp PPPhhhiiilllaaadddeeelllppphhhiiiaaa CCCiiitttyyy HHHaaallllll... First Judicial District 2010 Annual Report ● Page 2 Table of Contents First Judicial District Organization ................................................................................................. 4 First Judicial District of Pennsylvania ............................................................................................ 5 Organization and Leadership .................................................................................................... 5 Greetings from the President Judge ............................................................................................. 8 Administrative Governing Board ................................................................................................. 10 First Judicial District 2010 Opportunities and Responses ........................................................... 18 Court of Common Pleas .............................................................................................................. 20 Office of the President Judge .................................................................................................. 20 Trial Division of the Court of Common Pleas .......................................................................... 26 Family Court Division .............................................................................................................. 87 Orphans’ Court Division ........................................................................................................ 126 Philadelphia Municipal Court .................................................................................................... 131 Civil Division .......................................................................................................................... 131 Municipal Court Criminal Division .......................................................................................... 136 Philadelphia Traffic Court .......................................................................................................... 147 Office of the Court Administrator ............................................................................................... 150 Statistics .................................................................................................................................... 163 Common Pleas Court Trial Division Criminal Section ........................................................... 178 Family Division Domestic Relations Branch .......................................................................... 190 Common Pleas Court Orphans’ Court Division ..................................................................... 193 Municipal Court ..................................................................................................................... 195 Fiscal & Budget Office ........................................................................................................... 196 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... 201 First Judicial District 2010 Annual Report ● Page 3 First Judicial District Organization First Judicial District Administrative Governing Board (Appointing Authorities) Court of Common Court of Common Court of Common Court of Common Traffic Court Pleas Trial Div. Pleas Family Div. Pleas Orphans’ Div. Municipal Court Traffic Court State Court Pleas Administrative Administrative Administrative Administrative President Judge President Judge Administrator President Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Court Administrator Court of Common Pleas Municipal Court Traffic Court Trial Division Civil Division Criminal Civil Section Section Criminal Division Family Division First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Domestic Juvenile Relations Branch PHILADELPHIA COUNTY Branch COURT SYSTEM Orphans' Court Division First Judicial District 2010 Annual Report ● Page 4 First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Organization and Leadership The state trial courts of the City and County of Philadelphia are collectively known as the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (FJD). The first level of the organizational structure of the FJD comprises three courts. In turn, those constituent courts are composed of divisions that are themselves further subdivided into branches and sections. The three FJD courts are 1) the Court of Common Pleas; 2) the Philadelphia Municipal Court; and 3) the Philadelphia Traffic Court. The Common Pleas and Municipal Courts are each headed by a President Judge elected from among their peers on their courts’ respective benches. The Traffic Court President Judge is appointed by the governor. Four Administrative Judges appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court also help to direct the three divisions of the Common Pleas Court and the Philadelphia Traffic Court. The judges in those leadership positions – the three President Judges and four Administrative Judges – together with the State Court Administrator, meet together as the First Judicial District Administrative Governing Board. The Board represents the highest level of management and leadership in the Philadelphia court system. (More information about the Administrative Governing Board, including the biographies of its members, begins below on page 10.) Court of Common Pleas Led by President Judge Pamela P. Dembe since December of 2008, the Court of Common Pleas is a general jurisdiction court of record with three divisions: 1) the Trial Division; 2) the Family Division; and 3) the Orphans’ Court Division. Each division is led by an Administrative Judge appointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Descriptions of the three Common Pleas Court Divisions and the case types over which they have jurisdiction are outlined below. Trial Division The Court of Common Pleas Trial Division Administrative Judge is D. Webster Keogh. The Trial Division is subdivided into Criminal and Civil Sections. The Criminal Section has jurisdiction for all state court felony trials in the City of Philadelphia and appeals from the lower courts’ (Municipal and Traffic Court) decisions. The Trial Division Civil Section generally has jurisdiction over civil cases with an amount of more than $10,000 in dispute. Each section also has a Supervising Judge. (See the Municipal Court description on the next page for details on jurisdictions and linkages with the Common Pleas Court Trial Division.) First Judicial District 2010 Annual Report ● Page 5 Family Division Led by Administrative Judge Kevin M. Dougherty, the Family Division is composed of the Juvenile Branch and the Domestic Relations Branch. The Juvenile Branch has jurisdiction over cases involving juvenile delinquency, juvenile dependency, truancy, incorrigibility, and adoptions. The Domestic Relations Branch is the jurisdiction for divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, and protection from abuse (domestic violence). Orphans’ Court Division The Orphans’ Court Division is so-named from the sense that an orphan is an individual who needs the help of the court in seeing to their affairs and safeguarding their best interests. The Division is headed by Administrative Judge Joseph D. O’Keefe. Cases involving probate and the estates of decedents, minors, and incapacitated persons are heard in Orphans’ Court. Philadelphia Municipal Court Philadelphia Municipal Court is a court of record divided into the Criminal and Civil Divisions. Municipal Court is led by President Judge Marsha H. Neifield. There is no right to jury trial but appeals from Municipal Court decisions are heard as trials de novo in the Common Pleas Court. The appeal rate is very low at less than 3%. Criminal Division The Municipal Court Criminal Division is the court for summary and misdemeanor trials. Felony case preliminary hearings are also conducted there. All arrests made in Philadelphia County must at least initially