Philadelphia Bar Association Releases Ratings of Judicial Candidates For May 17 Primary Election

PHILADELPHIA, April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rudolph Garcia, Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, today announced the first round of results of the Association's investigation into the qualifications of candidates for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and candidates for Philadelphia Municipal Court in the May 17 primary election.  The investigation was conducted by the Association's Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention.

Garcia noted that the list of "Recommended" and "Not Recommended" candidates is still incomplete and said additional names and ratings will be announced as investigations are completed on the remaining candidates.  Garcia said that the ratings announced today provide the results for candidates who are on the ballot who submitted to the Association's evaluation process by the Bar's announced deadline of December 8, 2010.

"We wanted to get these names and ratings out as soon as possible and invite people to learn about these candidate ratings.  They can do this by visiting our website at www.philadelphiabar.org," Garcia said.  The Chancellor pointed out that the Association's Campaign for Qualified Judges has launched a banner that appears on the homepage of the Association's website.  The banner contains a link to print the candidates' ratings so voters can bring the list to the polls.  Garcia said the Association wants voters to know "not just who to vote for but why the judicial elections are so important and why we invest so much time and energy in reviewing and rating these candidates.  This is the one place for voters to find a thorough, non-partisan, objective rating of the candidates."

The Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention is independent and non-partisan.  It includes lawyers and non-lawyers.  Among the members of the Commission are community leaders, officials including the District Attorney, Chief Public Defender, City Solicitor, and the President Judges of Common Pleas Court and Municipal Court, and representatives of minority legal groups and various sections of the Bar.

The ratings by the 30-member Judicial Commission follow extensive study and investigation by the Commission's own 120-member investigative division, which includes 30 non-lawyer members.  Candidates found "Recommended" satisfied a cumulative review of criteria including qualifications such as legal ability, experience, integrity, temperament, community involvement and judgment.  Complete details can be found at www.philadelphiabar.org.

"The Commission will complete more than 40 evaluations of candidates for the 11 open seats on Common Pleas Court and Municipal Court," said Commission Chair Richard S. Seidel.  "That is an enormous undertaking involving many hundreds of interviews by the investigative division and careful review, consideration and deliberation by the Commission."

The following judicial candidates, listed alphabetically, were found "RECOMMENDED" for election to the Court of Common Pleas:

The following judicial candidates, listed alphabetically, were found "RECOMMENDED" for election to Municipal Court:

The following judicial candidates, listed alphabetically, were found "NOT RECOMMENDED" for election to the Court of Common Pleas:

The following judicial candidates, listed alphabetically, were found "NOT RECOMMENDED" for election to Municipal Court:

Additional names and ratings will be announced soon.

SOURCE Philadelphia Bar Association